The Omega
by Untamed Loner
Summary: As Bella spends more time around Jake, she begins to discover changes in herself. Suddenly, she doesn't trip, the wolves are completely calm around her, and she keeps feeling people's emotions. Now, she's on the Volturi's most wanted list.
1. Chapter 1: Don't Let Go

**This chapter is dedicated toooooooo………. taoist elf! She is the reason you are getting this chapter and the story as I write it! Not only did I get the idea for this story from talking to her, but she amazingly agreed to read this first chapter and assured me I was on the right track! You guys should totally go check out her Jake/Bella story if you haven't read it yet!! It's completely amazing!!**

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter One

I was done.

Done with not knowing. Done with the unanswered phone calls. Done with Billy telling me Jake would call when he was ready. Done with the insecurities and uncertainties.

Done with the pain that was so much worse than when _he_ left; there was no sun this time around.

I was done!

It had taken some time, but the pain had finally given way to anger.

Jacob Black was going to regret ignoring me.

At least, that's what I told myself as I drove through Forks to La Push. I refused to admit that I was scared, scared that Jake would still reject me, tell me to go home, that he never wanted to see me again. Everything _he_ said.

I squashed down that fear as I pulled up to the Black's house. I peered through my truck's window at the dark house. No lights were on, no sounds coming from the windows, no voices floating from the garage. Nothing.

More than a little nervous now, I jumped down from my truck, stumbling a little as the gravel shifted under my feet. I turned and slammed the door shut, not even bothering to hide the fact that I was there, hoping one of them would hear me and come out.

No sign of movement from the house.

Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly, gathering my courage around me. Determined, I marched up the front steps and knocked on the door.

No answer.

I tried again, a little louder.

Still no answer.

I reached out and tried the door. It opened easily.

Obviously, people on the reservation didn't worry much about breaking and entering. Charlie would probably have something to say about this.

Smiling slightly at the thought of the lecture he would give Billy, I made my way inside, looking around.

No one was home. Not that that was surprising after knocking and having no one answer. Besides that, Jacob would've come running to the door if he'd heard my truck coming up the drive.

So, I settled down on the couch, flipped on the TV, and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited.

After countless paid programming shows, the front door opened and banged shut, causing me to jerk up from my relaxed position on the couch to find Billy looking at me in surprise.

"Bella? What are you doing here?" Billy asked, wheeling over to me.

"Oh, um. I came to see Jake. He around?" I asked, biting my lip nervously.

"Did he call you?" Billy asked, not answering my question.

"Well, no, but-"

"Bella, you really shouldn't be here. I think it's time for you to leave," Billy insisted harshly.

I gaped at him, completely shocked.

Maybe Jake didn't want me around after all. Maybe he was tired of being my friend. Maybe he was done with me only being halfway here.

"O-okay," I stuttered, standing up and wrapping my arms around my middle, trying to keep myself together.

Billy sighed heavily, closing his eyes briefly before looking at me again.

"I'm sorry, Bella. But it's really not a good idea for you to be here. I promise, Jake will call you when he's ready to see you," Billy insisted softly.

I just nodded, unable to say anything or keep the tears from falling down my face.

This was much worse than the last time.

I shuffled across the floor and made to go out, but stopped at the last minute and, staring outside at my truck, spoke to Billy.

"Can you give Jake a message for me?" I asked hoarsely.

"Sure," Billy agreed.

"Tell him not to bother. I get it," I rasped, shoving the door open and hurrying to my truck.

I tripped multiple times on the way there, but kept going, even when I heard Billy call my name. I just wanted out. I tripped less than a foot from my truck and fell against it, gripping the handle for dear life as I struggled to regain my footing. I pulled, trying to get the door open, but it wouldn't budge. I tugged harder, yanking at it with all my strength, but it still didn't open.

"COME ON!" I screamed, kicking the tire.

It felt good hitting the truck and I did it again, this time with my hand, smacking the orange painted metal. It stung a little, but still relieved some of my pent up anger. I began banging my fists on the window, crying out angrily.

"Open up!" I yelled, trying the door again, repeatedly.

Sobs came up uncontrollably from my throat and my legs decided they were tired of holding me up as I fell to the ground just as it started to rain.

"Of course," I mumbled miserably, throwing up my hands before letting them flop back to the ground forcefully.

I dug my fingers into the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. My wet hair hung down around my face as I lowered my head, staring at the ground. Leaning against the truck, I had never felt so defeated in my entire life.

"Bella."

I looked up and couldn't control the gasp that escaped my lips.

A huge young man was standing in front of me. I barely recognized him. He was in just a pair of shorts, no shirt, no shoes. His hair was short, his body toned, his face hard, his eyes empty. My Jacob was gone.

As soon as our eyes met, his face softened and he looked a little…. disappointed? Slowly, he lowered himself down so he was eye level with me, never taking his eyes off mine.

"J-Jake? Wh-what h-happened to y-y-you?" I stuttered, shivering from the cold rain.

He frowned before lifting me up against his chest and taking me back inside. He walked right by Billy and into his room. He placed me gently on the bed before digging around in his dresser drawers. He stood up holding a t-shirt and handed it to me.

"Put this on," Jake instructed, leaving the room.

I held up the shirt and watched as he walked out of the room. I had no idea what was going through his head. He was being distant and cold. Not at all like my Jacob. I wanted to see him smile at me, not frown.

Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I began taking off my wet clothes before pulling on the over-sized t-shirt Jake had given me. It fell past my knees like a dress and I smiled as I inhaled his scent on the collar. I settled back on the bed, my legs tucked underneath me, enjoying being surrounded by Jake's things.

"Bella? You dressed?" Jake's voice called through the door.

"Yeah," I answered softly, biting my lip nervously as he walked in.

He looked at me for a few seconds before looking around the room. He looked like he'd rather be anywhere but here. I was surprised by how much the realization hurt.

His eyes landed on the pile of my clothes on the floor. He walked over and picked them up.

"I'll go put these in the dryer," Jake said, moving to leave the room again.

"Jake, wait!" I pleaded, moving to stand up.

My feet got caught up underneath me and I plummeted to the floor. Tangled up with the sheets, I was trapped.

Jake was right beside me, smiling my smile.

"Only you, Bells," he chuckled, pulling away the sheets.

I blushed furiously, blinking up at him. He took my hand and pulled me up into a sitting position.

"Jake, what's been going on?" I asked quietly.

His smiled vanished and he looked pained. His breathing got heavily and he stood up abruptly. I watched him as he paced the room, his hands fisted at his sides.

"Ugh! Damn it!" he shouted, anger shaking his body.

I jumped back at his shout, scared that he was angry at me. He noticed and took a deep breath.

"Bella, I wish I could tell you. I really do! But. I. Can't," he ground out, staring at the wall over my head.

I nodded, looking at the floor by my feet.

"I understand. It's okay, Jake. You don't have to explain," I mumbled, smiling sadly.

He groaned slightly, causing me to look up at him. He had his eyes squeezed shut and his head bowed. I stood up, moving over to comfort him.

"Really, Jake. It's okay. Look, you just call me whenever you can, okay? I-I promise, Jake. It'll be okay," I soothed, hugging his stiff form.

He relaxed against me, his arms going around my waist as he pulled me closer into one of his infamous bear hugs. He buried his head in my shoulder, gasping for air.

"Bells, I'm scared," he whispered.

I tensed instantly. Jacob was one of the best people I knew. He was always laughing and joking around. Nothing scared him. At least, nothing I'd ever seen.

I held him tighter, trying to tell him without words that I was there for him. That I would always be there for him. He gasped for air, struggling to calm down.

"Shhh, Jake. I got you," I murmured, rubbing up and down his new broad back.

He heaved a huge sigh, shudders running through his body. He carefully straightened, looking at me with tortured eyes. All I wanted was to take that look away from him. I missed his smile.

"I'm here, Jake. I'm not going anywhere. Unless you want me to," I added, not sure if he wanted me around.

"I need you here, Bells," Jake admitted.

I couldn't help it. My face broke out in a huge smile and I grabbed him in another hug.

"Good, cause I've missed my best friend," I told him.

"Sorry I haven't been a very good one lately," Jake chuckled.

"S'okay," I sighed, snuggling into his warmth.

I felt him place a kiss on the top of my head and smiled again.

"You're really warm," I noticed.

He felt almost feverish.

"Yeah, well, I've gone through a few changes since you saw me last," Jake huffed.

"Let me guest, something you can't tell me?" I asked even though I already knew the answer.

"I'm sorry, Bells," Jake muttered.

"Don't be. Just so long as you promise not to put me through another day as bad as these past few have been," I pleaded.

"Promise," Jake agreed.

"Good," I grinned, stepping out from his embrace.

He refused to stop touching me completely can kept hold of my hand. He pulled me back over to the bed and sat me down.

"Let me take care of your clothes. I'll be right back," Jake promised, smiling my smile.

I nodded, watching as he walked over and picked up the little pile before slipping out of the room. I felt exhaustion creep up on me and laid down on the bed, snuggling into Jake's pillow, inhaling deeply.

I was just drifting off to sleep when I felt Jake lay down beside me, pulling me into his arms. I turned over so I was facing him and snuggled into his chest. One of his arms acted as my pillow while the other rested on my waist, effectively trapping me in his embrace.

I felt his lips on the top of my head right before I succumbed to sleep.

* * *

I woke up to a cold bed. Jake was gone and the house was quiet. Looking over at the clock beside his bed, I saw it was six o'clock at night. Charlie would be worried.

Groaning slightly, I sat up, stretched, and swung my legs out of the bed. The floor was cold on my bare feet, helping to wake me up. Rubbing sleep from my eyes, I stood up, stumbling a little on unsteady legs.

Glancing briefly around the room, I noticed my clothes were folded at the end of the bed. Frowning slightly, I picked them up. I knew I should put them on, but I was reluctant to take off Jake's shirt. I wondered if he would miss it if I stole it.

Deciding to risk it, I pull on my jeans, but not the shirt, keeping his on instead. When I walked out of his bedroom, I noticed the TV was on in the living room. Billy was sitting in there, watching a game. He looked up when I walked in.

"Hey, Bella. Charlie called. I told him I'd send you home as soon as you woke up," Billy said before turning his attention back to the game.

"Okay. Is Jake around?" I asked, looking around as if expecting him to pop out of a closet or something.

"He had some tribal stuff to do. He said he'd call you tomorrow," Billy answered, still watching the TV.

"Okay. Thanks, Billy. And… I'm sorry about earlier," I mumbled, looking at my feet.

"No problem, kid. Glad you two worked it out," Billy replied.

I looked up and he was grinning at me. I smiled back, thoroughly glad to have Billy in my life. Without Billy being Charlie's best friend, Jake and I never would've met. We never would've become friends. Now that was a scary thought.

"See you later, Billy," I called, hurrying out the door.

The drive back to Forks was uneventful, the rain keeping me company. The wires from the torn out stereo mocked me with memories that I struggled to keep bottled down. I forced thoughts of Jake into my head to replace them.

It worried me, all these changes he had gone through, but he was still my Jake. I thought back to seeing Sam Uley and his gang jumping off cliffs. Jake looked like those guys. Embry had obviously gone through whatever Jake was going through. Then I started thinking about how Quil was taking this. No doubt he was having a hard time with it. I should probably go see him.

When I pulled into the driveway, Charlie's cruiser was parked in it's usual spot. I knew he'd be hungry and wondered if he'd ordered pizza or was still waiting for me to fix dinner.

I hurried in out of the rain, shutting the door quickly behind me. Charlie was plopped in his arm chair, watching the same game as Billy. He looked up briefly when I walked it.

"Hey, Bells. How's Jake?" he asked.

"Good. We talked it out," I answered.

"He'll be coming around more then?" Charlie continued, watching the TV.

"I suppose so," I agreed, moving into the kitchen.

"Ordered pizza. It's in the fridge," Charlie called.

"Thanks. Sorry I wasn't home to fix dinner," I said, opening the fridge and pulling out the box.

Charlie made a gruff sound which I assumed meant not to worry about it. I took a few slices, put them on a paper towel, and headed up to my room to finish up some homework.

By the time I had finished, it was close to eleven o'clock. Stretching out my stiff muscles, I went about getting ready for bed, keeping Jake's shirt on instead of changing into my regular pajamas. I crept downstairs and woke up Charlie from his chair. He grumbled at me, but allowed me to lead him up stairs and into his bedroom. I walked into my own and snuggled down under the covers. Thoughts of Jacob ran through my head, lulling me into an easy sleep.

My dreams were filled with wolves and Jacob and Sam and the other boys. Faceless vampires floated in and out of focus, some of them red-eyed, some of them golden-eyed. I watched as they battled, fighting over some unknown treasure. I woke up disoriented and screaming for Jake.

I was shocked to find myself in the middle of the C-_Cullen's_ baseball field. I had no idea how I'd managed to make it all the way out here. The only time I'd ever been had been when _they_ were here. And, unfortunately, I had no idea how to get back!

Just perfect!

Huffing in aggravation, I spun around in a slow circle, looking for something recognizable.

"Hello, Bella. So nice of you to make finding you easier for me," the familiar voice said.

Surely I must still be asleep. He's not really here.

But when I turned around, there he was.

"Laurent," I greeted.

His bright red eyes were the same as I remembered. Clearly, living with the Denali family had not changed him.

"My dear, I had forgotten how… delicious you smell. I don't know if I'll be able to return you to Victoria," Laurent murmured euphorically.

I didn't bother trying to talk him out of it. I wasn't that worried about dying, but I was worried about those I'd leave behind. Charlie would be alone again and no doubt return to the diner every night. Renee would feel at fault since it was her marriage that caused me to move to Forks. And, oh God, Jake! Jake would never get over it.

I had to try something, for them.

"Why does Victoria want me?" I asked, trying to buy some time.

"Well, now, I asked myself that same question. Seems she holds a grudge against your mate, but it appears he and his coven have up and left the poor, defenseless human alone. What happened? Did they get bored with your mundane human tricks?" Laurent taunted, slowly circling me.

My breathing was getting heavy and I was having trouble hearing him over the roaring in my ears. Listening to him say things that were probably true about _them_. It was painful.

"Did little Edward get tired of you? I hardly think you would be much fun to play with," Laurent continued, obviously enjoying my pain.

I nearly doubled over, hearing _his_ name.

"So sad, really. You're just a pathetic little human. I simply cannot fathom why everyone is so interested in you," Laurent sighed.

I was still gasping for breath, struggling to gain control over myself. I refused to let him beat me down.

"But, unfortunately, Victoria is very interested in you. I don't think she'll mind if you're not breathing when I take you to her," Laurent finished, closing in.

I stared miserably up at him, knowing there was nothing I could do. He was going to kill me. They would never even find my body. Victoria would likely destroy it past recognition.

"You should be thanking me. If you knew what Victoria had planned for you, you would," Laurent murmured, caressing my cheek.

I couldn't help the gut reaction to jerk my head back. Laurent smiled widely, dropping his hand.

"Would you like to run, little Bella? Would you like for me to chase you down like the prey you are? That would be fun, wouldn't it?" Laurent asked soothingly.

"No," I managed to rasp out.

"Oh, how brave. You know what? For that, I'll make your death a short one," Laurent said, grabbing me roughly by the neck.

I heard something pop and cried out at the pain in my shoulder blade.

"Shh. It'll all be over soon," Laurent murmured.

"NO! PLEASE! STOP!" I screamed, trying to break free.

"Ah, ah, ah, Bella," Laurent scolded, tapping my on the cheek.

It hurt, like a punch and I knew there would be a bruise. He lowered his mouth to my neck and inhaled sharply. I was still pushing against him, trying to get away when he suddenly froze.

He lifted his head, growling softly and scanning the area.

I heard it, too. It sounded like thunder and the ground was shaking under my feet.

"Damn it," Laurent roared, moving away from me.

Without his arms holding me up, I crumpled to the ground, sobbing softly. I struggled, pushing myself up. My hair was in my face, but I could still make out large shapes surrounding me as the rumbling subsided.

Laurent was still there, but he was scared. I could see that even from my position on the ground.

A loud growl rose up around me, echoed by the four other shapes. Startled, I looked closer at the shapes and discovered they were actually wolves. Not just any wolves, HUGE wolves! They were actually the size of horses!

What the heck?!?

"We'll have to finish this later, Bella," Laurent called, backing away from the wolf pack.

I gasped in surprise at he turned and fled from the meadow. All five of the wolves followed, hot on his tail.

I stayed there, completely shaken. None of it made sense to me. Why would wolves actively seek out a vampire? And then, chase said vampire away?

The cold was starting to get to me and I struggled to push myself up to my feet. I wobbled a little, unsteady on my feet after all that had happened.

I knew I should leave, but I still had no idea which way was home.

Frustrated beyond all belief, I couldn't contain the scream that escaped my lips.

"WHY?!?" I screamed to the sky.

I was answered with silence.

"You know what? I'm sick of this! I am DONE! DO YOU HEAR ME?" I shouted, stomping my foot childishly.

The sky rumbled in response.

"Don't. You. Dare!" I fumed, nostrils flared.

"Bella?"

I spun around, worried that it was Laurent. Instead, I saw Sam with his arms crossed in nothing but shorts. He raised an eyebrow at me.

"What? I've had a bad night, okay? So, forgive me if I want to take it out on Mother Nature!" I grumbled, crossing my arms.

Sam smirked at me.

"What are you even doing here?" I asked, frowning.

His smirk vanished and he gave me a look that clearly said not to ask anything else.

"Look, can you just… just help me get home? Please?" I asked, suddenly really tired.

"Sure," Sam agreed, moving closer to me.

We had just turned to start walking when a howl came up from behind us.

I stopped and turned back to see one of the wolves standing just a few feet away. I felt Sam tense beside me, but I ignored him.

There was something about the wolf that looked familiar. I couldn't place it, but I felt drawn to it.

Hesitantly, I took a step forward. Then another. And another. Until I was standing right in front of it. It lowered it's head so we were eye level. For some reason, looking into it's eyes made me feel like crying.

I swallowed past the lump in my throat and reached out a hand to place on it's chest.

"Thank you," I whispered brokenly.

The wolf whined softly and butted it's head against my shoulder. Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around it's neck as a broken sob sounded from my throat. Before I knew it, I was crying uncontrollably against it's soft fur.

Slowly, the fur retreated and warm skin replaced it. Arms encircled me and hands rubbed soothing circles on my back. A voice murmured words in my ear and I shuddered against him.

"It's alright, Bells. I got you. You're safe," Jacob sighed in my hair.

I clung to him tighter, unable to let him go.

"What was that?" I choked out.

"I'll explain later. Let's get you home. It's about to rain," Jacob insisted.

He dropped his arms from around me and I cried out.

"NO!"

"Relax, Bells. I just gotta pull my shorts on," Jake chuckled.

I refused to drop my arms, but he managed to get dressed without me moving. Once he was securely covered, he wrapped his arms around me again.

"Come on, Bells. Time to get you home," Jake sighed, lifting me in his arms.

I snuggled against his chest, closing my eyes as the woods rushed by. I was vaguely aware of Jake taking me into my room and laying me down. I kept my arms around his neck, refusing to let go.

He reached behind him and pried my fingers away and placed them on the bed beside me.

"No," I mumbled, reaching out for him.

"Don't worry, Bells. I'm not going anywhere," Jake whispered, sliding into the bed beside me.

I sighed heavily and took back my place in his arms. He wrapped his arms tightly around me, pulling me close to his chest. The sound of his steady heartbeat lulled me to sleep.

* * *

**Okay, so I am uber-excited about this story!! I'm hoping to have it completed in two, maybe three months time, depending on how often I get the chance to sit down and write. Chapter two is already written. I just have to read through it one more time to check for any wrongs that need to be righted. And then, chapter three has been started! Hopefully, this story will move along quickly!! Finger crossed!!**

**If you would like to follow the story a little closer, I have a Facebook account that I update regularly with news about what I'm working on. You'll know exactly which chapter I'm working on and how much longer until I post. Plus, you can always harass me much easier on there if I'm taking too long! Anyway, the name is Untamed Loner. All requests will be accepted!**

**Welcome to the wonderful world of my mind! **


	2. Chapter 2: The Secret

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Two

When I woke up Jacob was gone, but my bed was still warm. I heard voices coming from downstairs and the infectious laughter that I would recognize in a crowded room.

I jumped out of bed, eager to see him and have the promised talk. I looked down and smiled to see I was still wearing his shirt. I knew Charlie wouldn't like me walking down in just Jake's shirt, though. I searched my room for a pair of flannel pajama pants and pulled on the first pair I could find. I hurried into the bathroom to brush my teeth and hair and to use to toilet. Checking my face in the mirror one last time, I rushed out of the bathroom and down the stairs.

Charlie and Jake were sitting in the living room, watching sports. They both looked up when I walked in.

"Bella? What the hell happened to you?" Charlie asked, jumping up from his chair.

"What?" I asked, shocked as he took hold of my head.

"You have a bruise. Right here," Charlie said, touching my cheek gently.

_Laurent_.

"Oh, um, you know me. I fell out of bed last night, hit my cheek on the night table," I explained, brushing it off.

Charlie frowned, but seemed to accept that excuse.

"Um, you guys hungry? I can cook up some breakfast," I offered.

"Sure, Bells," Charlie sighed, moving back to his chair.

I chanced a glance over at Jake. He was watching me intently.

I bit my lip nervously before heading into the kitchen. I started cooking up the works for the two hungry men, listening to the TV in the other room.

Once everything was ready, I called in Charlie and Jake.

"Smells good, Bells," Charlie hummed, piling food on his plate before heading back to the game.

"Enjoy," I grinned, taking my seat at the kitchen table.

I waited, expecting Jake to follow him into the living room. Instead, he settled down beside me, his plate full.

"This looks really good, Bells," Jake said, smiling at me.

"I hope it tastes good," I replied, returning his smile.

We ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes. I kept stealing glances over at him and I was pleasantly surprised to find him watching me more often than not.

"So, you wanna tell me what happened last night?" I asked casually.

"Actually, I think you should tell me what happened. Why the hell were you out in the middle of the night with a vampire?" Jake hissed, obviously angry.

My fork clattered onto the plate. I was in shock.

"How- how do you know about…?"

Jake sighed heavily and set his fork down before rubbing his hand over his face. He looked at me, exasperated.

"We need to talk," he said.

"Yeah, no kidding," I huffed, still in shock.

"Let's take a walk," Jake suggested, standing up.

"In this?" I asked, looking at my clothes.

Jake smiled my smile.

"Why not? I like seeing you in my clothes," he admitted.

I returned his smile hesitantly.

"I'm sure, but my neighbors probably don't. Give me ten minutes," I said, standing up as well.

He nodded shortly.

I spun around and hurried up the stairs, tripping only once. I grabbed the first outfit my hands landed on, which ended up being jeans and a t-shirt, pulling a hoodie on overtop. I shoved my feet into my shoes and hurriedly pulled my hair up into a ponytail. When I came back down the stairs, Jake was standing at the bottom.

Which turned out to be a good thing since I stumbled over my own feet half way and flew down the rest. Jake was right there and I fell straight into his arms.

"Careful there, Bells," Jake chuckled, setting me down on my feet.

"Sorry," I mumbled, blushing furiously.

He chuckled again, taking my hand.

"Hey, Charlie? You mind if I steal Bella here for a little while?" Jake asked, looking at me.

"Sure," Charlie agreed.

Jake grinned, pulling me towards the front door. He led me outside and down the stairs. I was a little surprised when he walked over to my truck and opened the door. He helped me in behind the wheel before moving around to the passenger seat.

"Where we headed?" I asked, starting the truck with a roar.

"La Push. It'll be… easier to explain there," Jake sighed, running his fingers through his short hair.

I nodded and backed out of the driveway. We drove in silence for a few minutes before I decided to broach the subject again.

"You gonna tell me what happened now?" I asked.

He sighed heavily and moved around in his seat. I kept my eyes on the road, worried about crashing.

"Alright, obviously you know about vampires. How?" I tried to start up the conversation.

"You remember the story I told you? At First Beach? Shortly after you came back?" Jake asked quietly.

"Sure," I agreed.

And I did. A little. Mostly, I was just interested in learning about _them_.

"Yeah, but you only remember part of it."

It wasn't a question, so I didn't bother answering.

"The part you don't remember is about the Protectors," Jake continued.

"What's a protector?" I asked.

"I am. You saw last night. I was a wolf. A freaking huge wolf. We protect humans from vampires. We're their mortal enemies," Jake explained.

I let that sink in for a minute, watching the road disappear under my truck.

"So, I'm not crazy? The wolf really was you?" I asked.

"Yes."

"What about Sam? Is he a wolf?" I asked, frowning in thought.

"Yes. He's the alpha," Jake answered.

"Who else is a wolf?" I asked, pulling into his driveway.

"Sam, Paul, Jared, Embry, me, and Quil will probably be joining us soon," Jake sighed.

I looked over at him, shocked.

"Quil?" I squeaked.

Jake smiled at me sadly.

I slumped in my seat, completely frazzled.

"I know this is a lot to take in, Bella, but there's still more," Jake warned.

I groaned softly and closed my eyes.

"It can wait," Jake whispered.

I held up one finger.

"Just… give me a minute," I requested.

I took a few deep breaths and tried to calm my racing nerves. After a few minutes, I felt like I could take whatever else Jake had to say.

"Alright. Give it to me," I said, looking at him.

Jake took a deep breath and looked out the front window.

"It's called imprinting. After we phase for the first time, we start looking for our other half. When we see her for the first time, an instant bond is developed. The best way I can describe it to you is 'love at first sight'. The entire world ceases to exist and the only thing that matters is her. Nothing else is more important. We become whatever our imprint needs. We're their perfect mate. And they are ours," Jake explained.

I looked at him, my eyes wide. He was staring out the front window again, as if oblivious to the fact that I was there. I knew that wasn't true, though. Jake and I were so attuned to each other, we would know the other in a pitch black room.

"So, have you imprinted?" I asked.

It suddenly hit me that we had been apart for two weeks. He could've seen any number of girls on the reservation in that time.

"No. And I never will," Jake growled, glaring out the window.

A breath escaped my body that I hadn't realized I'd been holding. I was a little disappointed that he hadn't imprinted on me, but I shoved down that traitorous feeling and only allowed myself to feel relief. Nothing else mattered as long as Jake was still my Jacob.

Jake was watching me, obviously worried I was going to freak out and run away from him. I gave him a sad smile and crawled over to sit in his lap. His arms instantly wrapped around my waist, holding me close. My arms wound around his neck, pulling his head to my shoulder.

"It's okay, Jake. I understand. I'm not going to push you away," I promised.

His grip on me was tight, but I didn't mind. He was shaking uncontrollably, having trouble with his emotions.

"I'm here, Jake. I'm not going anywhere," I continued.

Gradually, his shaking calmed down along with his breathing. He lifted his head to look at me and I was frozen again, for an entirely different reason. His eyes flickered from mine to my lips and back again.

Slowly, he brought his hand up to brush some hair out of my face. My eyes closed involuntarily and I leaned into his warmth. I turned my head and kissed him palm, lingering longer than necessary.

I heard him take in a breath and opened my eyes. He was breathing heavily and his eyes were smoldering.

I moved closer until our lips were almost touching. Jake was just watching me, his breathing uneven. My eyes flickered to his lips and he let out a moan.

Before I knew it, his warm lips were on mine. It wasn't what I had been expecting, Instead of completely consuming me, he barely touched his lips to my own. One of his hands moved to cradle the back of my head, pressing our lips harder together. It was nice and sweet and incredibly romantic.

And I felt the hole in my chest ripple a little as I noticed the different temperature from the lips I had been craving for months.

With that thought, I ended the kiss, but neither of us moved away. He rested his forehead against mine and simply breathed, his eyes staring intently onto mine. I waited, expecting the pain to increase, but with Jake's arms around me, the hole stayed relatively closed.

I smiled a little in relief.

"So, you're okay with this?" Jake asked slowly.

"With what exactly?" I asked with a laugh.

"Me. Being a werewolf," Jake elaborated.

"Is that what you are? Hmm. Well, I suppose I have to be," I shrugged, smiling.

"No, Bells. You don't have to be. You can choose. I didn't get a choice. I want you to have one," Jake insisted.

I rolled my eyes at him, trying to fight back the moisture that had decided to leak into them.

"Jake, don't be stupid. If you haven't figured out by now that I need you, you are even dumber than I thought," I teased.

The smile he gave me nearly knocked me over. It was pure sunshine and I held my breath looking at him. I had never seen anything so beautiful.

"Come on. We should probably go talk to the pack. I haven't spoken with them since last night. Sam's probably worried," Jake explained, opening the door and stepping down.

He settled me on my feet before taking my hand and pulling me down the road.

"The pack is the other wolves, right?" I asked, trying to make sense of everything.

"Yeah."

I bit my lip, nervous about meeting these boys/men that turned into gigantic wolves at will.

"You should know, Emily, Sam's imprint, has a scar. She was too close to Sam when he phased and, well, it didn't turn out too good. Just, try not to stare, okay? Sam gets upset," Jake murmured, staring at his feet.

"Sure, Jake," I agreed, trying to make him feel better.

We walked in silence for a while longer, me looking at Jake, Jake looking at where we were going. I was still struggling to understand all that he'd told me. I wondered when I would stop learning about mythical creatures that weren't so mythical.

"We're here," Jake said, turning into a driveway.

The little house looked like most of the houses on the reservation. It was a small two story cottage, painted grey. The front porch was covered and had a railing going around. There were a few chairs placed outside, looking out over the front yard. There was a flower box on the window that sprouted beautiful flowers I couldn't identify. It was a cute little house, nestled in the woods.

I couldn't help but smile as Jake led me up the front steps. He didn't even bother to knock, just walked right in.

The cozy feel of the open living room instantly made me feel at home. It was extremely similar to Jake's house and I knew I'd have no problem getting comfy on the couch. The easy feeling faded when I looked up and saw four angry men glaring at me.

I felt my eyes go wide and moved so that Jake was between me and the others. Jake gave my hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Hey, guys," Jake greeted them lightly.

"What are you doing, Jacob?" Sam asked, his voice low.

"What was I supposed to do, Sam? She saw me phase," Jake answered, losing his easy tone.

"You shouldn't have done that," Sam continued.

"She knew it was me already," Jake argued.

"She did not! All she saw was a wolf that wasn't attacking her," Sam argued.

Jake growled, leaning forward in a protective crouch, his body trembling.

"Jake," I whimpered, placing my free hand on his back.

He froze under my hand, but didn't stand up.

"Oh, really! You should all be ashamed of yourselves, scaring this poor girl!" A young woman scolded, coming into the room.

I looked over to see a pretty Quileute woman. Her hair hung freely down her back, stopping at her waist. Her brown eyes were lighter than any I'd ever seen on the reservation. She was stunning.

It wasn't until she turned to face us that I saw the scars on her face. I stiffened slightly, but remembered what Jake had said earlier and forced myself to relax.

This was obviously Emily.

"You must be Bella Swan. I'm Emily Young. Welcome," she smiled, coming closer to me.

Jake stood up as she came close and pulled me towards her. Emily braced me briefly.

"Well, Jacob told us you were beautiful, but you are truly stunning," Emily praised, causing me to blush furiously.

"Thank you. It's a pleasure to meet you," I mumbled, returning her smile.

"Why don't you and I head into the kitchen for a bit and let these_ boys_ straighten things out," Emily suggested, pulling me away.

I glanced back at Jake, a little worried to be without him. He gave me a reassuring smile and nodded once.

Emily pulled me into the kitchen and insisted I sit at the table. She flittered around, pulling mugs out of the cabinets and grabbing the coffee pot off the burner.

"Do you drink coffee, Bella?" she asked, pouring a cup.

"Oh, um, yes," I answered.

She smiled, pouring some into the second cup. She brought both over to the table before turning to get sugar and cream. She settled into the seat beside me, fixing her coffee.

"So, tell me. How'd Jacob spring it on you?" Emily asked.

"Sorry?" I asked, unsure of what she was talking about.

"The whole wolf thing," Emily chuckled, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Oh. Well, he actually… phased? Is that the word?" I asked, unsure.

Emily nodded, smiling.

"Okay, well. He phased last night in front of me. I thought I was hallucinating. I mean, one minute there's a huge wolf in my arms, the next, I'm hugging Jake!" I laughed nervously.

Emily laughed with me, grinning widely.

"So, when I woke up this morning, Jake offered to explain everything. He just… came right out and said it," I shrugged, holding my cup up and inhaling deeply.

"Was it a shock?" Emily asked.

"Not really. More of a relief. I'm just glad he's not going to push me away again," I admitted, staring down at my cup.

"It's really hard for them for the first few weeks after they change. Their control isn't good and sometimes they slip up. It was for your own good that Jake stayed away," Emily insisted.

"Didn't feel that way," I murmured, fighting back the empty feeling that was trying to swallow me up.

Emily's hand reached out and took hold of mine. We sat there for some time, talking about inconsequential things. She filled me in on some of the finer points of being around werewolves and I simply sat there, enjoying the tales she spun.

It was afternoon before Jake came into the kitchen.

"Bells, we better get you back to Charlie," Jake reminded me, smiling slightly.

"Right," I agreed, getting up with Emily.

I reached over and hugged the young woman, grateful for her kindness.

"You come back some time soon, alright? Jake, you make sure to bring her," Emily ordered, smiling all the while.

"Sure, sure," Jake grinned, taking my hand.

Emily smacked him lightly before moving to find Sam.

"You ready?" Jake asked, pulling me towards the front door.

"Sure, sure," I repeated, smiling brightly.

He just laughed and kissed the top of my head. It sent a thrill through me and I couldn't control the slight shudder. Jake waved to his pack mates as he pulled me outside and down the road again.

"So, what happened after Emily saved me?" I asked, giving his arm a little tug.

"Nothing really. They got into me about letting you in on the secret, but once I told them how you could help us, they were alright with it. Just, be careful around Paul. He's got a temper and has the biggest problem with me telling you," Jake cautioned.

"How can I help you?" I asked, confused.

"With the vampire thing. You've spent the most time with them," Jake answered, looking straight ahead.

I frowned slightly, but didn't argue. It was too painful a subject to dwell on. Especially since my vampire family was no more.

I swallowed past the lump in my throat and let go of Jake's hand to wrap my arms around myself, struggling with the memories that seemed determined to come up.

Jake stopped to turn and look at me curiously. I refused to meet his gaze, staring instead at his left cheek bone. Still, I didn't miss when his eyes softened in understanding. He reached out and pulled me to his chest, trying to calm me.

"I'm sorry, honey. I didn't mean to bring _them_ up. I was talking about the red-haired female we've been chasing. She's been all over Forks and we don't know what she's here for," Jake whispered.

"S'okay," I mumbled, nuzzling into him as the pain lessened.

His words took a second to sink in. When they finally hit home in my brain, I froze.

Red-hair. Female. Vampire. In Forks.

_Victoria_.

"Oh, God!" I gasped, terror gripping me.

"Bella? What is it? What's wrong?" Jake asked frantically.

"Victoria," I managed to sputter out.

"Victoria? Who's Victoria? Talk to me, Bella!" Jake demanded roughly.

I shook my head, too caught up in my fear to speak.

Jake grabbed my arms, hauling me against him before swinging me up so I was cradled against his chest.

Then he was running.

I closed my eyes against the rushing wind and turned further into him. His grip tightened slightly securing me. He slowed to a brisk walk as we neared his house. Ignoring Billy's questioning look, Jake marched right into his room, slamming the door behind him. He dropped me unceremoniously onto his bed before kneeling in front of me.

I was hesitant to meet his gaze, instead staring at my hands on my thigh. Dark, russet hands covered mine, pulling them up along with my eyes.

I had expected him to be angry, but his eyes expressed only concern. For me.

"Jake," I whimpered, tears coming fast.

Without a word, he picked me up and took my place on the bed with me in his lap. We sat there, wrapped in each other's arms, taking comfort from the other.

"Tell me about Victoria, honey," Jake whispered after I was finally calm.

I took a deep breath before beginning.

"You know when I went to Phoenix? And everyone thought I'd fallen down a flight of stairs and through a window?" I asked.

Jake nodded once.

"Well, that wasn't exactly what happened. I went to Phoenix because James was after me. James was Victoria's mate. Anyway, I went to get away from him, but it didn't work. You see, James, Laurent, and Victoria came to the field you found me in last night while the C-_Cullens_ were still here."

Jake's arms wrapped around me tighter, holding the hole in my chest closed. I took another breath and continued.

"James thought it would be fun to play cat and mouse with me as the mouse. The Cullens thought it would be best if I left town. A-Alice and Jasper took me to a hotel in Phoenix.

"After, I got a call from James. He tricked me into coming to him by making me think he had my mom. He-he bit me."

Jake tensed and growled beneath me. I was too caught up in my own torture to realize.

"I was going to die, but they got there in time. Jasper and Emmett killed James while _he_ sucked the venom out.

"Victoria wants a mate for a mate. They killed James, she kills me."

"What about the one from last night?" Jake asked softly.

"That was Laurent. He was going to take me to Victoria before you… showed up… Oh! Jake, what happened?" I asked frantically.

"Shh, honey. It's okay. We took care of him. He's not coming after you again," Jake whispered, kissing my temple.

I was unable to control my trembling as he murmured softly into my hair. The tears were literally streaming down my face at this point as I tried to hold on to my sanity. The hole was threatening to swallow me completely and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

"Did he take you to the clearing, Bella?" Jake pressed further.

I shook my head violently.

"No. I don't know how I got there. One minute, I'm dreaming about this awful battle between gold-eyed vampires and red-eyed vampires with a few wolves through in. The next thing I know, I'm standing in the middle of that field screaming for you."

I was so tired at this point. The tears continued to fall. I didn't even bother to try and stop them. All I wanted to do was sleep and forget about the pain.

I felt the blackness creeping up on me and welcomed unconsciousness.

* * *

I woke up feeling as though my head was stuffed full of cotton balls. My eyes felt puffy and my throat was raw.

I blinked open my eyes and saw that Jake was gone.

My first thought was that he wouldn't want me after hearing what James' did. My second was that the hole in my chest felt lighter. I could still feel it, but it wasn't pulsating like usual, constantly making it's presence known when Jake wasn't around to dull it.

Frowning slightly, I tried out their names.

"Jasper. Rosalie. Emmett. Carlisle. Esme. Alice. E-E-E."

Apparently, I wasn't ready to say his name yet, but it didn't hurt nearly as bad to think about the others as it once had. I smiled at the thought, flipping over and out of bed.

Which was not smart of me.

I landed in a heap on the floor, crying out as I fell. Pushing myself up off the floor, I heard pounding footsteps coming towards the door.

"Bella!" Jake called, slamming the door against the wall.

I jumped at his forcible entry, hitting my head on his bed frame.

"Ouch! Jake, what gives?" I grumbled, rubbing my sore head.

Chuckling, Jake sank down beside me. He took my head gently in his hands, sifting his fingers through my hair, looking for a bump.

"I think you'll live," Jake grinned.

I glared at him on principle.

"You had me worried there for a bit, Bells. I wasn't sure you were ever going to wake up," Jake teased.

I could hear the note of concern in his voice. He was trying to keep it light, but he couldn't fool me.

"Yeah, well, crying uncontrollably about you ex-vampire family to your werewolf best friend will do that to you. Oh, and don't forget, I now have some crazy vampire chick after me," I smirked.

Jake smiled, but it seemed a bit forced. I sighed, using his shoulder to pull myself up. He watched me warily as I stretched.

"How long was I out for?" I asked, glancing around for a clock.

"A few hours. It's not dinner time yet," Jake answered, standing up as well.

I puffed out a breath and looked up at him. He still had that look in his eye. It worried me to see him so upset.

"Let me get home, then, so I can get started. If I'm going to feed you, Billy, and Charlie, I need to get ready," I said, taking his hand.

There. Much better.

Jake smiled my smile and pulled me out of the room. He walked me out to my truck before pulling me into a hug.

"We'll be by soon," Jake promised.

"Okay," I mumbled.

I really didn't want to leave him. He helped keep the bad thoughts away. He kept my frozen heart warm.

"The sooner you leave, the sooner I can come see you," Jake chuckled.

"I'd rather you didn't have to," I pouted.

"I know," Jake sighed, tightening his grip and placing a kiss on my head.

I looked up at him, frowning slightly.

He placed his lips gently on mine, barely brushing against them. I shivered at the touch and felt myself leaning into him. He smiled gently, but pulled away.

"Love you, Bells. See you soon," Jake murmured.

"Bye, Jake," I sighed, climbing into my truck.

I waved once more before pulling out of his driveway.

* * *

**Yay! Chapter two! Hope you guys enjoyed it!! Next chapter will be up early next week. We have a lot of snow coming; which means cancelled classes; which means more writing time for me!! See you guys soon!!**


	3. Chapter 3: Sam's Test

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Three

On the way back home, I thought about his kisses.

He was so gentle when he kissed me. It made me feel treasured. The nice thing about kissing Jake, though, was I knew I could lose control with him. I wouldn't have to hold anything back when I was with him.

I wondered what it would be like to really kiss him. Full on, mouth open, tongue seeking, raw and animalistic kissing. A little thrill went through me at the thought.

I was confused. I knew I still loved _him_, but I had to admit, I liked kissing Jake. And spending time with Jake. And having Jake hold me.

Did that mean I was in love with him, too?

I wasn't sure. I thought about the way _he_ had made me feel and the way Jake made me feel. It wasn't so different, but I was different with them. With _him_, I was always on my guard. I had to be careful not to push him too far. He could never lose control with me around because he could end up killing me. With Jake, I was free to lose complete control and he'd be right there with me. He followed my lead, letting me make the decisions.

By the time I pulled into the driveway, I hadn't made much headway.

Charlie was home, so I pushed all those thoughts to the back of my head as I walked through the door.

"Hey, Bells," Charlie called from his chair in front of the TV.

"Hey, Dad. I, um, invited Jake and Billy over for dinner," I said, heading towards the kitchen.

"How is Jake?" Charlie asked.

"Good," I answered, pulling out the stuff to make chicken enchiladas.

Charlie fell silent after that and I wrapped myself up in making dinner. I didn't want to think about Jake's kisses and all they promised. It was too difficult.

So, instead, I thought about my dream from last night. It had been strangely realistic. I could still remember the sound of flesh being torn apart as the battle was raged. I shivered at the thought. The Cullen's had been in the dream, but there were other golden-eyed vampires. And then the red-eyed vampires. They had been scary, standing in strict lines with three of them obviously leading.

I wasn't sure what it meant, but I knew it couldn't be good.

Then there was how I ended up in the field. I seriously had no idea about that. I'd never slept-walked before in my life. But, how else did I explain it? Frowning slightly, I lifted my bare feet and looked at the soles. Sure enough, there were a few scrape marks that I hadn't noticed. When I touched them, gently, they all but vanished.

_What the heck?!?_

Wide-eyed, I went back to making dinner, deciding to wait and talk to Jake about it later.

I had just finished with the rice when the front door opened and Jake rolled Billy thought. Jake immediately sought me out, smiling when his eyes found me in the kitchen.

"Billy, you old geezer! What the hell have you been feeding that boy of yours?" Charlie called as Billy wheeled into the living room.

I missed Billy's response, but Charlie laughed loudly.

"Hey," Jake murmured, coming close.

"Hi," I smiled, turning back to the stove.

"What's for dinner?" Jake asked, sniffing the air appreciatively.

"Enchiladas," I answered.

"Smells good."

"Thanks."

A heavy silence fell over us. It was highly uncomfortable and I had no idea how to dispel it.

Jake leaned against the counter, arms folded across his chest, and watched me. I shifted slightly under his gaze, uneasy with the close inspection.

He sighed heavily and dropped his arms.

"What happened, Bella?" he asked.

His voice was so forlorn, I glanced up at him. He was staring down at the floor, his shoulders slumped. I felt a little piece of my on-the-mend heart break again watching him.

"Jake, it's nothing to do with you. I'm just… confused," I finished lamely.

"Bout what?" Jake frowned.

"This. Us. I don't know if I can do this. How can I feel this way about you when I still love him? And I do love him, Jake. Even after all this, I still love him," I sobbed, tears coming to my eyes.

Jake took me in his arms and rocked me gently. He made soft shushing noises into my hair, trying to calm me down. It wasn't nearly as bad as earlier, though. Only a few tears escaped and I wasn't crying out in pain.

"Shh, honey. I know, okay. I'm not going to push you. We just take this one day at a time. Besides, we're still us. Just Jake and Bells, best friends," Jake assured me.

I took a deep breath, allowing his voice and scent to sooth me. Jake could always take the bad thoughts away. All it took was one smile, one laugh, one word and I was smiling, laughing, and talking with him. It felt good to be held so firmly and yet still tenderly in his arms. It was something I'd never experienced before.

Eventually, I had to pull away and continue cooking. Jake stayed leaning against the counter, watching me.

"I need to talk to you," Jake said suddenly.

"Now?" I asked, moving to pull the enchiladas out of the oven.

Jake shook his head.

"It can wait till after dinner."

I frowned at him, but he just shook his head again. A second later, Charlie came into the kitchen, Billy right behind him.

"Smells good, Bells," Charlie grinned, sitting at the table.

I smiled back as Billy and Jacob sat as well. I placed the pan right in the middle before going back to get the rice. As I placed the pot down, I saw the enchiladas were already gone.

"I guess you guys were hungry," I said, taking my seat.

I noticed one of them had placed an enchilada on my plate and smiled. They were silent as they inhaled their food, grunting in approval occasionally.

Ignoring my own plate, I watched them. Jake ate as if this were his first meal in weeks, shoveling it in at a fast pace. Billy and Charlie were a little slower, but not by much. I figured it must be a guy thing. I'd never seen a girl eat like that. It was kind of disgusting, really.

Jake shot me a questioning look as he reached for more rice. I just smiled back at him and began eating my own dinner. By the time I was finished, Billy and Charlie had moved back into the living room and Jake was leaning back in his chair, patting his stomach.

"That was really good, Bells," he sighed.

"Glad you enjoyed it. You better watch yourself, though. Too many more meals like that and you'll be too fat to fit through the front door," I teased, picking up the dirty dishes.

"Ha-ha. Werewolf metabolism, remember? We have to eat more because our temperatures are so much higher," Jake reminded me.

"Riiiiight," I nodded, frowning into the sink.

I heard his chair scrape against the floor as he got up from the table. He appeared beside me a moment later, dish towel in hand.

"You wash, I'll dry," he offered.

I smiled my thanks and handed him the first plate. We worked in silence for a while, enjoying the peace that could only be found with each other. Charlie and Billy were in the other room, yelling at the players on the screen as if they could hear them. My smile grew at the normalcy of it all.

"What's so funny?" Jake asked, smiling himself.

"Nothing. It's just nice, you know? Everything being normal for a change," I sighed happily.

Jake's smile faded slowly and his sigh was much heavier than my own.

"Once we finish these dishes, will you take a walk with me?" Jake asked.

Suddenly nervous, I could only nod.

I slowed down the washing, trying to delay the talk that was sure to come as soon as we stepped outside the front door. I wasn't sure what Jake wanted to talk about, but it was obvious from his demeanor that it wasn't going to be anything good. My mind began running through anything that could have happened within the past few hours since I'd left him at La Push.

I couldn't delay the walk any longer as he dried up the last of the dishes. We walked to the front door, calling out to our dads as we left. They barely grunted in response. Jake took my hand as soon as we stepped outside, leading me down the front steps and into the woods.

My heart started going double time. This scene felt way too familiar.

Jake noticed my heart speed up and gave my hand a quick squeeze, no doubt meant to reassure me. I sucked in a huge breath before letting it out, forcing my body to relax. Jake wasn't going to leave me. There was no reason for him to. Unless…

"Jake!" I gasped, stopping completely.

He jerked around to face me, worried. His hand immediately went to my frozen face, cupping it gently. I knew I looked scared out of my mind and I was. He couldn't have, though. Not in less than three hours. Could he?

Oh, God.

"Bells, honey, talk to me," Jake pleaded, stroking my cheek with his rough thumb.

"Jake, you haven't imprinted, have you?" I asked desperately.

He instantly relaxed, huffing out a breath.

"No, Bells. That's not it."

My tense body collapsed against his chest as his arms went around me. I was shaking slightly from my momentary bout of fear. One of his hands cradled my head, holding it against his chest, while the other ran soothing circles on my back.

"You okay?" he asked, placing a kiss on top of my head.

I nodded against him, still too relieved to speak.

"Can we keep going, then?"

I nodded again, pulling away. He took my hand back in his and we set off. I had no idea where we were heading, but Jake seemed to know his way around. I was surprised to find that I wasn't having any trouble keeping up with him in the dark. Normally, I would have fallen by now at least once, but I hadn't so much as stumbled. It was an odd feeling, one I wasn't quite sure I disliked.

Jake came to a stop in the middle of a clearing. He took me over and sat me down on a fallen tree before pacing in front of me. I watched him warily, unsure of what was going to happen.

He stopped and turned to face me, frowning.

"Bella, you shouldn't know about me being a werewolf."

Okay, not what I was expecting.

"What do you mean? You don't want me to know?" I asked, confused.

"No, it's not that. It's just… I shouldn't have been able to tell you. The only people we're allowed to tell are our imprints and our families. You're neither, but I could tell you," Jake said, running his fingers through his short hair.

"I don't understand," I admitted.

"Sam gave an Alpha command. We can't tell anyone outside of our families and our imprints about the pack. We can't have the wrong people finding out about us. When Sam gives an Alpha command, we can't break it. We are bound by the pack ties to obey him. But I told you. Sam is worried about that.

"I'm supposed to be Alpha. My bloodline says so. My great-grandfather was the first Alpha, so it should fall to me. I don't want it though. Sam thinks that since I could break his hold to tell you, he won't be able to command me. It's dangerous. We're very territorial and he's worried I might try to fight him one day to take over as Alpha.

"The thing is, I had to obey his commands before. He told me I couldn't see you, so I didn't. I tried, but I couldn't break his hold. I'd spend hours just staring at the phone, trying to break his hold so I could call you, but I couldn't. That leads us to believe it has something to do with you. Sam wants to run a few tests, just to make sure.

"I'm hoping once he does, he'll realize I don't want to take his place. He's a good Alpha and I'm not ready for the responsibility. I didn't even want this to begin with," Jake finished, staring at the ground.

I stared at him, reeling from the information. Something was always wrong with me. First, _he_ couldn't read my mind. Now, Jake was breaking Sam's hold on him because of me. What's next?

"Then, on top of all of this, we just found out that two more will be joining our pack," Jake exclaimed roughly.

This caught my attention.

"Who?" I asked, shocked.

"Seth and Leah Clearwater," Jake answered.

Harry's kids. Charlie went fishing with him a lot. I remembered something about his fish fry being Charlie's favorite, but I couldn't put a face to the name.

Something started tickling the back of my mind. I focused on the thought, trying to figure out what it was. Something I had decided earlier. Seeing someone.

"What about Quil?" I asked when the thought process was complete.

Jake winced slightly and looked up at me sadly.

"He phased today. Sam just told me before I came over here," he mumbled.

I knew Jake was unhappy about that. He wouldn't wish this life on anybody. Especially his friend.

"Come here," I ordered softly, opening my arms for him.

He allowed me to pull him into my embrace and comfort him. He rested his head on my shoulder and started to breath heavily. His arms branded around me, keeping me close. I made soothing sounds and rubbed his back, hoping it helped in some way.

"It shouldn't still be happening. It should have stopped," Jake huffed.

I didn't say anything, just continued to hold him. He suddenly ripped himself away from me and started pacing. His arms were trembling and he was growling softly. I leaned away from him a little, worried about what was happening.

"Why is this still happening?" Jake roared at the sky.

He was shaking violently now, unable to control himself. He glared over at me.

"Get away, Bella," he ordered, backing away from me himself.

I scrambled off the tree and moved through the woods. I was close enough that he could still see me, but far enough away that he wouldn't hurt me. An image of Emily's face flashed before my eyes and I shrank further into the trees.

Jake suddenly let out a loud howl and his body erupted, changing right before my eyes into the russet wolf I had seen in the field last night. When he fell on all fours, his eyes zeroed in on mine. We stared at each other for a long time before I moved towards him. My steps were slow, hesitant of setting him off.

When I was about a foot away, I reached out my hand to him. He sniffed it, pushing his cold, wet nose into my skin, before giving it a thorough lick.

"Ew, Jake!" I shrieked, slapping at him.

He barked out a laugh and danced out of my reach. I laughed with him and tried to chase after him. He was, of course, much faster than I was, but he stayed close by and even let me catch him a few times.

I was running behind him, laughing, when he suddenly stopped. Unable to stop as quickly as he did, I ran right into his back leg. The force of impact knocked the breath out of me and I fell to the ground with a soft thump.

Jake moved to stand over me, growling. His eyes darted around the edge of the trees, searching for something I couldn't see or hear. Scared, I grabbed hold of the paw closest to my head. Jake lowered his body a little in response.

"What is it?" I asked softly.

Of course, he didn't answer, just continued watching the trees around us. I moved to sit up, my head just barely brushing his chest. He lowered his head so it was level with his shoulders so he was closer to me. I wrapped myself around his right front leg, hugging it to my chest.

Jake whined softly and let out a bark. A moment later, a chocolate brown wolf trotted out from between two trees. The wolf walked over to us before sitting down about a foot away and wagged his tail. Jake huffed and sat as well, pulling me along with him since I was still wrapped tightly around his leg.

I looked between the two, trying to figure out what was going on. I figured this was one of the guys from the pack. There was no way Jake would put me in danger of a real wolf. I just wasn't sure who it was.

"What's going on?" I asked, frowning at Jake.

He just panted lightly in response. I turned to the other wolf.

"Well, can you talk to me?"

The brown wolf let it's tongue loll out and gave me a goofy grin. Jake growled menacingly, but I couldn't help but laugh. The brown wolf yipped lightly, standing up. Jake followed suit, pulling his paw out of my grasp. He moved to stand beside me before lowering himself onto the ground. With a tilt of his head, he indicated for me to climb on.

"Can't I just walk?" I pleaded.

Jake gave me a look that clearly said 'shut up and get on'. I huffed out a breath and climbed onto his back. He stood up quickly causing me to grab onto his fur. He barked out a laugh as he and the other wolf took off through the forest. I buried my face into his fur as we sped past the trees.

He came to a stop towards the edge of the tree line. I slid off his back and onto the ground. Jake nudged me forward with his nose. I turned and frowned at him.

"Aren't you coming?" I asked.

Jake shook his head once.

"Will you at least call me later?" I sighed, petting his fur.

He groaned slightly and lowered his chin to my shoulder, wrapping one front leg around me for a hug. I smiled and nuzzled into his warmth. He gently nipped at my shoulder, pulling the fabric of my shirt slightly. I laughed lightly and pushed him away.

"See you tomorrow?" I asked with a small smile.

Jake barked softly in response.

"Bye, Jake. Bye… um…" I trailed off, looking at the brown wolf.

The two of them gave barking laughs before turning away and disappearing into the woods.

Still smiling, I walked up and into the house feeling lighter than usual.

* * *

The next day, I found myself sitting in Sam and Emily's living room as Sam ran various tests to see why Jake had been able to break the Alpha command. We started out with simple stuff. Sam would give a command to Jake; Jake would easily break it. Sam became concerned when he tested the others in the same manner and found they were able to break the command as well.

"I just don't understand," Sam murmured, staring off into space.

"Do you think you're losing your power as Alpha?" Jared asked.

"I don't think it's Sam. I think it's Bella," Quil piped up.

We all turned to look at him.

"What makes you say that?" Jake asked, trying to keep the worry out of his voice.

"Well, no one breaks the command until she says something," Quil shrugged.

Sam stared at me for a long time and I shifted around under his gaze.

"Emily! Come here for a second," Sam called, never taking his eyes off me.

Emily appeared in the doorway a moment later.

"What is it?" she asked.

"We're going to try something different. This time, you're going to try and get them to break the command," Sam said.

I bit my lip nervously as Sam called Jared to stand in the center of the room. He ran through similar commands as when they had been testing me. Sam commanded Jared to jump; Emily tried to tell him to stop. We were all relieved to discover that Emily could not break the command.

"So, it is just me?" I asked.

"It would appear so. I'm going to talk to the Elders about this. Maybe they can shed some light on this," Sam sighed, leaning back in his chair.

Emily patted his hand in comfort and he took hers in his own before raising it to his lips. The absolute love and adoration between them was hard to watch. I tried to focus on Jacob instead.

He was sitting beside me on the love seat, his arm draped across the back. I watched him laugh at something Quil said. He was mesmerizing.

"Bella?"

I turned to see Sam watching me intently.

"I want you to come tonight. The Elders may have a few questions for you," Sam said.

I felt Jake tense beside me and heard the slight growl in his voice.

"I don't want her going, Sam."

"It's not up to you, Jacob. It's up to me. She needs to be there. Plus, it'll save us all a re-telling," Sam sighed, rubbing his face tiredly.

Jake opened his mouth to say something else, but I grabbed his hand in both my own.

"It's okay. I don't mind going," I assured them.

Jake frowned at me, clearly upset that I agreed to go. I didn't see what the big deal was. It wasn't like they were going to tie me up to a pole and burn me at the stake or something if they didn't like what they found out.

Right?

"Erm… Sam? What happens if they think I'm a threat?" I asked slowly, unsure if I wanted to hear the answer.

Jake actually let out a fierce snarl at my question and I jumped back from him.

"Jacob! Calm down!" Sam ordered, standing up.

I sat there with my mouth jammed shut so Jake had no hopes of breaking Sam's Alpha command. Jake's shaking slowed down and he took in deep breaths, his eyes shut. After he was calm, he looked at me apologetically.

I gave him a smile and scooted closer, taking his hand again. He squeezed it briefly.

"So, what'll happen?" I asked, determined now to hear the answer.

"The worst they can do is ban you from the reservation, but I highly doubt it will come to that," Sam assured me.

I wondered if he was being entirely truthful. What he said didn't exactly match up with Jake's reaction. I looked at Sam doubtfully for a minute and then looked at Jake. He was glaring daggers at Sam, obviously mad about something.

"Is there something you aren't telling me?" I frowned at Sam.

For a second, I thought he was just going to sit there and ignore my question.

"If they ban you, we will be forced to keep watch on you. If at any time we feel you are endangering us by revealing our secrets or assisting our enemy, we will be forced to take you out," Sam blurted out.

I stared at him, wide eyed. He looked equally shocked. It was suddenly very quiet in the house, everyone looking at us in absolute astonishment.

Jake was the first one to move. He jumped up from his seat beside me to stand in between Sam and I.

"WHAT THE HELL, SAM?" Jake shouted, his hands fisted at his sides.

"I-I don't know what just happened. I wasn't going to tell her that," Sam insisted, looking up at Jake with wide eyes.

Jake just snarled in response, obviously furious. Before he did something stupid, like attack Sam, I stood up beside him, wrapping my arms around his trembling form.

"Bella, get away from him. He's not safe right now," Sam declared, moving to stand up.

Jake loud out a feral growl in response and Sam froze.

I ignored them both, keeping my arms wrapped around Jake's torso. I buried my head into his arm, taking deep breaths. Gradually, Jake stopped shaking and was breathing with me. He moved his arm out from under my head and wrapped it around my waist. He bent over and placed a kiss on the top of my head, sighing deeply.

"Alright. When are we going?" Jake asked Sam.

Sam gave him a serious look, assessing him.

"I think it would be best if you stayed away from the meeting, Jake," he finally said.

"Not on your life," Jake murmured, still resting his head on mine.

Sam frowned, obviously disturbed about something.

"She's affecting you. Are you sure you haven't imprinted on her?" Sam asked.

Jake's relaxed muscles instantly turned to stone beneath my hands.

"I'm sure," Jake barely whispered.

Sam nodded once, realizing it was a difficult subject.

"The best thing we can do is just wait until tonight for you to talk to the Elders. Until then, we should all just relax," Emily insisted, standing up from her place beside Sam. "Come on, Bella. Why don't you and I go make these boys something to eat. No doubt they're starving."

I couldn't help but laugh at the hopeful expressions on all their faces. Emily gave me a little smile with an eye roll. I slowly pulled away from Jake and followed her into the kitchen. I glanced back once to see Jake watching me with a small smile playing about his lips. I returned it before going to help Emily cook.

* * *

**You guys are so awesome!! The reviews have been absolutely AMAZING!! Thanks everybody!!**

**Alright, that's it for this chapter. It's a little shorter than the others and I'm not happy about that, but I had to stop here. Next chapter will be the meeting with the Elders. What do you guys think? Should the next chapter be in Jake's point of view or Bella's? **

**Hope you guys are enjoying the story so far!!**


	4. Chapter 4: Omega

**Alright! So, the preferences were kind of mixed. Instead of doing one or the other, I'm going to take the advice of WereWolfs-R-Hot and am going to switch halfway through. That way, people who wanted to hear from Jake get Jake, and people who wanted to hear from Bella get Bella! Keep your eyes peeled for the change!!**

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight

Chapter Four

Jake's POV

I was not liking this one bit. This was the dumbest thing I had ever heard of. Really, I couldn't figure out what Sam was thinking when he suggested this.

I was standing beside Bella in front of the tribal Elders, waiting for Sam to finish his explanation. I had to admit, I was proud of her. Even though the old fools were giving her cautious looks, she held her ground. She just glared right back, daring them to say something about her new found abilities. It might have helped that she had the entire pack behind her.

I had to admit, it was a nice change from when they had first found out I'd told her. I really thought they were going to murder me. I should've known Bella would be able to come right in and wrap them all around her little finger. Hell, she obviously had no trouble wrapping me up. What would make my brothers any different?

I frowned a little to keep myself from smiling as I thought about her. She was strong and sharp as nails. She had taken everything in stride, not so much as batting an eyelash as I told her all about becoming a werewolf. And then, she had actually let me kiss her. That had truly been the best two moments of my life. Nothing I had experienced so far could ever hope to compare.

It had nearly killed me to be away from her for those two weeks when Sam had forbidden me from so much as talking to her. I had listened to every phone call to Billy and it had torn me apart to hear the disappointment in her voice. I knew I was breaking my promise, but there wasn't anything I could do. And then, when she showed up at the house, I was so terrified. My control was shaky at best at the time. I had just gotten into a huge fight with Paul about her and seeing her there had brought back all of Paul's comments. But when I was around her, the wolf was quiet. The urge to phase was curbed.

Nothing had scared me more than finding her in that field with Laurent. I had taken great pleasure in ripping that bloodsucker apart piece by piece. It still hadn't been enough to calm the anger I'd felt when I heard him talk about killing Bella, though. It wasn't until I was near Bella herself that I finally calmed down. I hadn't even meant to phase in her arms. I knew it would cause problems and Sam would get on my case about it, but I couldn't stop it. I was helpless against her.

I was brought back to the present by Sam coming towards Bella and me. My grip on her hand tightened. I wasn't going to let her go.

"Jacob, she needs to come forward," Sam hissed, taking her other hand.

I glared at him, communicating without words that she wasn't leaving my side.

Apparently, Bella couldn't read my face as easily as I could read hers. She let go of my hand and followed Sam up to stand before the Elders. I felt Quil and Embry fall into place beside me, supporting and restraining me at the same time.

"Isabella Marie Swan, recount the changes you have undergone the past few days," Old Quil ordered.

I saw Bella tense slightly and couldn't help the growl that came up from my chest. I saw my dad shoot me a warning look out of the corner of my eye, but my entire being was focused on Bella. If for one second I felt she was being threatened, I was going to take her and run.

"The first thing I noticed was I was sleepwalking. I had a dream about a battle between vampires in a field and I woke up in that same field. That's where the pack found me with the human-drinking vampire. Then, the next night, I was able to heal the scrapes on my feet from walking barefoot through the woods," Bella started.

I glared at her back. She hadn't told me about that. I was going to have a serious talk with her about keeping things from me.

"After dinner, I wasn't stumbling when Jake took me into the woods. He told me about how he shouldn't have been able to tell me about being a werewolf, so I guess that's the fourth thing. The most recent though was Sam. I asked him a question and he wasn't going to answer me, but he couldn't help it. He answered my question anyway," she finished.

"Is that all? Is there anything else, no matter how insignificant you may find it?" Dad asked.

"She can calm the wolf," Sam answered before Bella could.

All the Elders looked surprised, their eyes going wide. Without another word, they started whispering amongst themselves. If I had been paying attention, I could've heard what they were saying, but all my attention was focused on Bella. I didn't like the distance that separated us. I tried to relax my shoulders with no luck.

Even with the tough front Bella was putting up, I could tell she was scared. Hell, I was, too. The Elders had the power to tear us apart with one word. If they found her to be a threat, I wouldn't be allowed to see her. The fact that she can draw out our secrets would put the pack at risk. I wouldn't even be able to call her.

My attention was brought back to the meeting as Dad spoke up.

"Our apologies, young one. We have only now come to realize what we have before us.

"There are legends of a young woman who came to be with the tribe after the first pack phased. She was treated with great respect by our people. She tamed the wolves and brought peace to our people and our enemies. The cold ones and the pale faces both were no match for her abilities. She could heal the body and the soul. She could reach into a man's mind and pull out the truth. She put everyone around her at ease. Her special bond with the pack allowed her to calm the wolves. She felt the pain of the pack as strongly as any wolf. To the pack and our tribe, she was known as Omega.

"It would appear we have another Omega in our midst," Dad smiled.

I stared in disbelief as one-by-one, the Elders bowed their heads to Bella. She looked just as surprised as the rest of us. She turned to glance back at me. Before I knew it, I had broken rank and was standing beside her. Taking her hand in my twice as large one, I tried to tell her without words that everything would be okay, that I wasn't going to leave her to go through these changes alone.

"Omega, your pack is dismissed. You and your Alpha have much to learn," Harry Clearwater said.

I gritted my teeth, holding back the growl, but I couldn't stop the rumble in my chest. Bella patted my hand, giving me a reassuring smile.

"I'll be alright. Sam will take care of me," she whispered.

I frowned down at her, not wanting to leave.

"Go home, Jacob. I'll bring her by when we're done," Sam suggested.

It wasn't a command. I was free to refuse. But one look at my dad and I knew I had to leave. Sam wouldn't be able to keep this from me, though. I would find out what happened later.

"Come on, Jake," Embry said, placing a hand on my shoulder.

I looked down at Bella one more time, hurting at the thought of leaving her. She smiled up at me, only her eye betraying her sadness and fear.

"Go. I'll see you soon," she insisted softly.

Then she did something completely unexpected. She stood up on her toes and placed a kiss on my cheek. I had to bend down for her to reach, but it was worth it. I stood up straight, my eyes close, and allowed Embry to steer me from the hall. There's no way I'd be able to leave otherwise.

* * *

Bella's POV

I was trying to control the loud thumping of my heartbeat as I stood beside Jake, listening as Sam recounted what had happened today. He was being as detailed as possible so the Elders would understand. The Elders were listening to him, but all three of them were watching me.

Sam and Jake had explained that the Elders were actually pack member's fathers. Billy was the head of them, or the chief, I guess. Then there was Old Quil and Harry Clearwater, both of whom were giving me cold looks. I got the feeling they didn't trust me. Billy was at least looking at me with some sympathy.

I think he noticed my toes tapping. Not in impatience. In nerves. It was the only body part that I could move without being obvious.

I was watching Jake out of the corner of my eye. He hadn't relaxed since we'd stepped into the building. He was worried the Elders were going to do something drastic. I could see the tenseness in his body, from his jaw to his shoulders to his balled up fist. I briefly wondered if he even noticed it was clenched. Probably not. His fists spent most of the time in that position. His other hand was holding onto mine tightly, like he was afraid I was about to be torn away from him. I completely understood the feeling.

I watched as Sam turned around and took a few steps towards me. Jake's hand tightened on mine and Sam noticed.

"Jacob, she needs to come forward," Sam hissed, taking my other hand.

Jake just glared at him. I knew he wouldn't let go of my hand willingly. So, I made it easier on everyone and slipped my hand out of his grasp, allowing Sam to lead me forward.

"Isabella Marie Swan, recount the changes you have undergone the past few days," Old Quil ordered.

I tensed a little at his tone. He was obviously unhappy. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves.

"The first thing I noticed was I was sleepwalking. I dreamed about a battle between vampires in a field and I woke up in that same field. That's where the pack found me with the human-drinking vampire. Then, the next night, I was able to heal the scrapes on my feet from walking barefoot through the woods," I started before wincing slightly.

I had forgotten to tell Jake about that. He was probably mad at me. In fact, I could feel his glare on my back. I ignored it and continued.

"After dinner, I wasn't stumbling when Jake took me into the woods. He told me about how he shouldn't have been able to tell me about being a werewolf, so I guess that's the fourth thing. The most recent thought was Sam. I asked him a question and he wasn't going to answer me, but he couldn't help it. He answered my question anyway," I finished.

"Is that all? Is there anything else, no matter how insignificant you may find it?" Billy asked.

"She can calm the wolf," Sam answered before I could say no.

All the Elders looked surprised, their eyes going wide. Without another word, they started whispering amongst themselves. I swallowed nervously as they kept glancing at me. Billy was frowning, but not like he was mad. It was almost like he was confused. The other two were still looking surprised and talking very fast. Finally, they all sat back in their seats and turned their attention back to me. It was Billy who spoke.

"Our apologies, young one. We have only now come to realize what we have before us.

"There are legends of a young woman who came to be with the tribe after the first pack phased. She was treated with great respect by our people. She tamed the wolves and brought peace to our people and our enemies. The cold ones and the pale faces both were no match for her abilities. She could heal the body and the soul. She could reach into a man's mind and pull out the truth. She put everyone around her at ease. Her special bond with the pack allowed her to locate any of it's members. She felt the pain of the pack as strongly as any wolf. To the pack and our tribe, she was known as Omega.

"It would appear we have another Omega in our midst," Billy smiled.

I heard everyone gasp and figured this came as a shock to them as well. I could hardly believe what Billy was telling me.

I was an Omega? What did that even mean?

I looked back at Jake, hoping he would help me straighten everything going on in my head out. He was watching me with wide eyes, like he couldn't believe what we'd just been told. The second our eyes met, he was walking the short distance that separated us and talking my hand in his. His eyes told me he wasn't going to leave me, that he was going to stick by me come hell or high water. All I wanted in that moment was to fling myself against his chest and start crying. A voice speaking forced me out of my sorrowful state.

"Omega, your pack is dismissed. You and your Alpha have much to learn," Harry Clearwater said.

Jake gritted his teeth and I felt stop the rumble from his chest. I patted his hand, giving him a reassuring smile. The rumbling stopped and he took a deep breath.

"I'll be alright. Sam will take care of me," I whispered.

He frowned down at me, obviously not wanting to leave.

"Go home, Jacob. I'll bring her by when we're done," Sam offered.

Jake looked up at him before glancing over at the Elders. He sighed and looked back down at me. I saw Embry come up behind him.

"Come on, Jake," Embry said, placing a hand on Jake's shoulder.

Jake looked down at me one more time, pain evident in his eyes. I didn't like seeing him hurt so I smiled up at him, hoping it hid my own sadness and fear.

"Go. I'll see you soon," I insisted softly.

Then I did something completely unexpected. I stood up on my toes and placed a kiss on his cheek. He had to bend down for me to reach and I smiled as my lips brushed against his skin. When I pulled away, he stood up straight, his eyes close, and allowed Embry to steer him from the hall. I watched until the door closed behind him, then turned to face Sam and the Elders.

"Come forward," Billy commanded.

Sam and I walked towards them, standing side-by-side. My insides were quivering in fear. I wasn't sure what was going to happen today, but I had a feeling it was going to change me forever.

"The Alpha and Omega work very closely with one another. There is a bond formed between the two that allows the Omega to reach into the pack mind with ease. This bond will take some time to form. However, once in place, it can never be broken," Billy stated.

"The two of you will be spending the next few hours focusing all your energy of creating this bond. We have much to do and little time to do it," Old Quil continued.

"You will follow us outside. We must be surrounded by nature for the bond to become complete. There are certain rituals that have not been performed in years that must be done tonight," Harry finished

I glanced over at Sam. He was staring at the Elders with a serious expression on his face. I wasn't sure I wanted to be bonded with him forever. I mean, wasn't that Emily's job? And what all did this bond entail? Was it like the imprint or something else? I sighed heavily as I faced the Elders again.

Billy was watching me, smiling slightly.

"You have questions, Omega?" he asked.

I blushed guiltily.

"Well, um, yes," I agreed.

"Please, ask," Billy smiled.

"O-okay. Um, what exactly does this bond between Sam and I mean? Is it going to affect Emily at all?" I asked first.

I sensed Sam stiffen beside me and wished I could reassure him. Instead, I kept my eyes on Billy's smiling face.

"No. This has nothing to do with imprinting. The bond between the two of you will be like that of any other wolf in the pack, only stronger. The two of you will be able to communicate telepathically in human and wolf form. Through Sam, you will be able to locate any member of the pack and sense their well-being," Billy explained.

I nodded once, giving a small sigh of relief.

"Am I going to turn into a wolf?" I asked next, a little worried.

Billy gave a little chuckle while Old Quil and Harry smiled at me.

"No, Omega. Your place is as a human, not a wolf," Billy assured me.

Another sigh of relief. Another worry taken care of.

"It will all become clear after the connection is formed. The sooner the two of you are connected, the sooner you will fully understand the depth of your powers," Old Quil said.

I nodded once to him. He and Harry stood up while Billy wheeled back. They led Sam and I out of the meeting hall and into the night. I couldn't stop the shaking that started up as soon as we left the hall behind. I had a feeling it would be quite some time before I was able to return to Jake.

* * *

Jake's POV

Five hours. Five freaking hours! What the hell were they doing for five hours?

I was sitting on the couch, staring at the door while Quil and Embry flipped through the channels on TV. We'd been doing this since ten o'clock when we'd been kicked out of the meeting hall. It was pure torture.

"You stare at that door any harder and it's gonna burst into flames," Quil commented.

I ignored him.

He had been way too chipper since becoming a wolf. Yesterday, he'd thoroughly enjoyed making me think something was coming for me and Bella. He'd warned me that something was headed our way. Something bad. Something dangerous. Something hungry.

Then the jackass had popped out of the trees, laughing like an idiot. He'd actually had the nerve to consider phasing when Bella asked if he would talk to her. Neither one of us had any clothes. If I hadn't growled and threatened him, he probably would have, just for laughs.

I sighed, leaning back against the couch. This was taking too long. Something must've happened. What if Sam had lost control? Or they ran across Victoria? Or Bella was having one of her bad moments?

Just as I was about to work myself into a frenzy, the front door opened and Billy wheeled through followed by Sam carrying Bella.

I jumped up from the couch and was instantly by her side.

"What happened?" I asked, fear clutching my heart.

"Relax, Jacob. She's just tired. It's been a long night," Sam assured me.

I glanced at his face and saw how tired he was. His shoulders were drooping and his eyes were half closed. Frowning, I held out my arms and he placed Bella into them. I cradled her close, letting the soft sound of her breathing calm my nerves. I breathed in her scent, closing my eyes.

"Thank you," I murmured, looking up at Sam again.

He nodded once, rubbing his hand over his face.

"I've got to get home. Emily is probably worried. Meeting at my house tomorrow," Sam said, walking out the door.

I turned away from the door to see Billy wheel into his bedroom and shut the door. Quil and Embry were still sitting in the armchair and couch. They looked up at me, their eyes curious.

"Do you want to wake her and find out what happened?" Quil asked hopefully.

"No. She needs sleep," I glared.

"Fine. I'm out then," Quil grumbled, standing up and walking towards the door.

"Me, too. See you tomorrow, Jake," Embry nodded, followed Quil.

I didn't even wait until the door was closed before I started walking towards my room. I pushed the door open as quietly as possible and moved to lie Bella down on the bed. She mumbled softly in her sleep, rolling over onto her side. I shut the door before moving into the bed with her. She turned into my chest using my arm as a pillow.

I couldn't help but smile at the feel of her in my arms. Nothing compared to it. I closed my eyes, savoring it. I didn't know how much longer I'd get away with this. I knew she still loved her bloodsucker, but I also knew she was warming up to the idea of us.

A shiver of pleasure worked it's way down my spine at the thought of being with Bella in that way. Of being able to call her mine. Of kissing her anytime I wanted. Of growing old with her. Of watching her have my kids.

I wanted the pictures in my head so bad. I would do anything to get them.

"Jacob," Bella mumbled.

I looked down at her face, thinking she had woken up, but her eyes were closed, her face peaceful. Beautiful. I held her tighter, needing to feel her close to me.

I let my mind wander to what had happened tonight. I hoped Sam would fill us in tomorrow, but I wasn't sure. I needed to know what was happening to Bella, though. She was my whole world. Nothing was more important to me than her. I'd do anything for her.

I wished I'd imprinted on her. I couldn't read her in that department. Whenever she asks if I've imprinted, she always looks so relieved. Did she wish I had imprinted on her, too? Or was she relieved I hadn't? I couldn't tell and it was driving me crazy trying to figure out.

"Shh," Bella soothed, rubbing my chest.

I smiled.

Even in her sleep, she knew when I needed comfort. I wondered if she realized how perfect for each other we were. We were already so attuned to each other. I could always tell what she was feeling. She knew exactly what to do when I was getting riled up. I was the loose canon. She kept me grounded. I forced her to enjoy life. She made me want to be a better man. She was everything I'd ever wanted. I'd loved her for years. Nothing was ever going to change that.

I yawned widely, feeling the hours of worrying catch up with me. Snuggling against Bella, I closed my eyes and allowed sleep to take me.

* * *

Bella's POV

I was warm, comfortable, and very tired. Stretching a little, I struggled against waking up. I just wanted a few more hours. Unfortunately, it didn't look like I was going to get it.

"About time you woke up, sleepy head. Do you realize my arm will probably have to be cut off? I haven't been able to move it all night!" Jake whined, pulling his arm out from under my head.

I couldn't help but laugh as I listened to him. He was making noises like he was in pain, but I knew he'd be fine.

"Come on, Bells! It's time to get up!" Jake called, thumping the bed.

"Don't wanna," I mumbled, snuggling into his pillow.

"Too bad. We're already going to be late. I don't want Sam to give me any extra patrols as punishment," Jake moaned, shaking me.

"Jake! Leave me alone!" I shouted, rolling over with a smile on my face.

"Bel-la! Please!" Jake pouted.

"Ugh! Fine. But I get the shower first," I groused, rolling out of bed and onto my feet.

He watched me with wide eyes, probably surprised that I didn't fall.

"Omega," I grumbled, pointing at myself.

His eyes turned soft as he sat up in his bed. I was looking at my feet, wiggling my toes slightly. I felt his hot hands on my waist as he pulled me into a hug. I bit my lip, trying to keep the tears back.

"It'll be okay, honey. I'm here," Jake whispered, stroking my hair.

I took a deep breath before breaking out of his grasp. He looked hurt, but let me go.

"I'm, uh, just gonna go shower," I stuttered.

"Sure thing, Bells. You know where everything is," Jake smiled softly.

I nodded, walking out of the room.

In the shower, I let my thoughts float around in my head, trying not to land on any particular one. Last night had been so full of surprises. First the whole bit about being an Omega. Then finding out I had to "bond" with Sam (that had been fun). Then hearing more legends about the first Omega. Apparently, I was supposed to bring peace between the wolves and their enemies. Fun.

The hot water wasn't so hot anymore and I felt bad for not leaving Jake more, but he ran a high temperature anyway. He could warm up the water himself.

I stepped out and hurried to get dressed. When I walked into the kitchen, Jake was eating a huge bowl of cereal while Billy read the paper. They both looked up when I walked in.

"Good morning, Bella. Charlie called. I told him you'd be over later this afternoon," Billy smiled.

"Oh, so it's Bella this morning?" I teased, taking a seat.

"Formal ceremonies require formal names," Billy reminded me.

"I know, I know. Heard it all last night," I sighed, taking the cereal box Jake offered and pouring myself a bowl.

Jake finished up his breakfast before hurrying to grab a quick shower himself. Billy and I sat in comfortable silence after I washed the dishes.

"You'll have to come back a few more times, Bella, to learn more about the Quilete history," Billy informed me.

"Alright," I grumbled.

"It'll help in the long run," Billy assured.

"I know," I agreed, sitting back in my chair.

About five minutes later, Jake came in with wet hair.

"Thanks for leaving me all the hot water, Bells," Jake grinned.

"No problem, Jake. Anytime, really," I shrugged, taking him seriously.

"Ha-ha. Come on. We better be getting to Sam's," Jake said, taking my hand.

"Bye, Billy!" I called as Jake pulled me from the house.

I heard him chuckle softly right before the door slammed shut. I smiled up at Jake and he grinned back, lifting my hand to his lips for a quick kiss. I sighed slightly, wishing Jake had imprinted on me.

_What the hell?!?_

* * *

**Okay, my lovely readers! Hope this answered some of your questions. We'll go into detail about Bella's connection to the pack next chapter! Yay! By the way, you guys are totally amazing!! Your reviews are total bright spots in my day!! I really hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! See you next time!!**


	5. Chapter 5: The Meeting

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Five

"Alright, let's get this meeting started," Sam sighed, rubbing his face tiredly.

I felt really bad for him. We had stayed up really late last night working on the bond between us. It had been exhausting. And then he'd had to come home and explain everything to Emily. I could tell he hadn't gotten much sleep in the few hours left.

The entire pack was crowded around his and Emily's living room. Jake and I were sitting on the love seat. Quil was leaning against the wall to my left with Embry right beside him. Paul and Jared flanked Sam, taking their rightful places at his side. In a few more days, Seth and Leah would be taking their places in the pack's order. Truthfully, I was supposed to be sitting beside Sam, but I refused to play into the formalities in such an informal meeting. That could be saved for the Elders.

"Now, you are all aware that Bella is our Omega. You also know she and I stayed after the meeting to work with the Elders last night. We worked together for about four hours trying to form a bond between us. This bond allows her full access to the pack mind. She will be able to find any of you, no matter where you are. She will be able to contact you, no matter if you are in wolf form or not. She can heal any damage done to our bodies or souls. She is as much a part of this pack as the rest of us," Sam explained.

"What is the connection?" Jake asked, gripping my hand.

"Don't worry. It's just as if I was a new wolf. Sam and I just have a stronger connection. It's nothing anyone needs to worry about," I smiled.

"Bella's right. Now, since she can't get into our minds because she can't phase, you can't lie to her. And I'm not saying that you shouldn't, but that you won't be able to," Sam continued.

"If I ask you a question, or even just speak to you, and there's something you know that I don't, you'll be compelled to tell me," I clarified.

"Right. As for her ability to break an Alpha command; she is our Omega. The Omega is just like the Alpha except her sole purpose is to bring peace to the pack. She protects the pack just as strongly as the Alpha. She is able to break my command because she would never do anything to endanger the pack. If my command is for the best, she won't break it. Again, not that she can't; she just won't," Sam informed them.

"So she's the female version of you?" Embry asked.

Sam nodded wearily.

"Anything else?" Paul grimaced.

"You can't hurt me," I said.

They looked at me in surprise and I laughed. Sam smiled slightly, giving a little huff of a laugh.

"I'm not saying any of you would! You just don't have to worry about accidentally phasing and hurting me. You won't be able to phase if it will hurt me. Your wolves won't let you," I explained further.

As everyone settled down, Sam looked up at me.

_You'll need to come by tomorrow. Seth and Leah are close to phasing,_ Sam thought to me.

_I know. Don't worry. I'll be here,_ I promised.

Sam nodded once.

"Alright, boys! Food's ready!" Emily called from the kitchen.

It was like a mad house, suddenly as all the boys made a dash for the kitchen. I smiled slightly as Emily hurried out of the warzone.

"Oh, you are going to enjoy being around them constantly," Emily said sarcastically.

I laughed lightly as she took Jake's previous seat.

"I'm not worried. I enjoy their company," I assured her.

"I can't imagine why. Have you seen them eat?" Emily asked, eyes wide.

"Just Jake," I admitted.

"Whew! Count your blessings," Emily smirked.

We laughed together, falling into an easy silence after. I looked over at her nervously. I wasn't sure how much Sam had told her about last night, but I needed to make sure she was okay with the bond between Sam and I.

"Emily? You're alright with this whole thing between me and Sam, right?" I asked hesitantly.

"Of course, Bella! Sam explained it all to me. I must admit, I'm a little envious of your position in the pack, but I'm not worried about you and Sam," Emily smiled.

"Good, because no bond we ever formed would come close to outshining yours'," I promised her.

She beamed at me, obviously pleased with what I'd said.

"Besides, I don't think Jake would let either one of us form any sort of bond that might threaten his," I giggled.

Emily watched me, a small smile on her face.

"You have no idea how much you mean to him, Bella. I swear, it's like he did imprint on you. Sam and I have talked about it nearly every day. We just can't understand how it didn't happen. You two are so perfect together," Emily sighed.

"I'm not good enough for him, Emily. He deserves someone who can love him with their whole heart. I still have feelings for… someone else," I informed her sadly.

"I know, but the imprint would erase him from your heart. It's a wonderful feeling, Bella! I just wish you could feel it with Jake," Emily claimed passionately.

"Me too," I mumbled.

Emily patted my hand in an effort to comfort me.

"I just don't get it. Jake is so perfect. He's everything a girl could want. I don't understand why I can't fall in love with him. And then, sometimes I find myself thinking I already am in love with him. When he kisses me, the feeling is… indescribable. And I've never felt safer than when he's holding me. I want so badly to lose my heart to him, but I'm scared," I whispered, unable to hold my words back.

"Everyone is scared when they fall in love, Bella. And you have even more reasons than most people. Look at what your last love did. He completely broke you. It's going to be hard to learn to trust in someone again. But Jake has all the patience and time in the world when it comes to you. He'd do anything to make you happy," Emily swore.

"I know that. My head is all for Jake. It's my heart that keeps holding back," I sighed, sinking into the couch.

Emily gave me a sad smile.

"I think you have that backwards. I think your heart is all for falling in love with Jake. In fact, I think your heart already has fallen. It's your head that's forcing you to hold back," Emily said softly.

I frowned at the coffee table in front of me. There was a wet ring on the wood from where some one had placed a sweating glass. I stared at that, trying to sort through Emily's words and the feelings and thoughts in my head. Everything was really too much and I couldn't make heads or tails of any of it.

"Come on. Let's go see if they've finally finished eating," Emily groaned, standing up.

I smiled slightly, following her into the kitchen.

* * *

Jake held my hand as we walked along the beach towards our piece of driftwood. He was frowning into the sand, rubbing my hand absentmindedly. I had already asked him what was wrong. He'd just shaken his head and denied anything was bothering him. Instead of pestering him, I focused on the sound of the waves crashing and the smell of salt water. He would tell me when he was ready.

We made it to the fallen tree and Jake set me up on it so I was sitting facing him. He stood in between my knees, far enough away that it wasn't too intimate, but close enough that I could feel his warmth. He was frowning at the ocean now, still rubbing my hand. I sighed, giving it a little tug. He looked at me as if just realizing I was still there.

"Are you going to talk to me now or what?" I asked impatiently.

He frowned again. He was looking at me as if trying to read behind my face and into my soul. It made me a little uncomfortable, but I didn't move away or break contact.

"Bells? Did you-" he cut himself off, turning his frown back to the sand.

"Did I what? Spit it out, Jake," I grumbled, grasping his hand in both of mine.

He looked at our hands, his frown still in place. I didn't like to see Jake's frown. I liked to see him smiling and laughing. He should be happy. Why wasn't he happy?

"Did you mean what you were telling Emily in the living room?" Jake finally asked, looking up into my eyes.

I gasped quietly, my eyes popping wide. I held my breath as I realized he'd used his werewolf hearing to eavesdrop on my conversation with Emily. God, had he heard everything? What was I going to say to him? I couldn't tell him the truth. I didn't want to lead him on. It wouldn't be fair. But, he'd see right through a lie. I didn't know what to do.

"Bells?" Jake prodded gently.

I swallowed reflexively, taking in a deep breath.

"Jake, of course I did," I murmured.

His face lit up and he lifted me into his arms, spinning us around. We were both laughing as he spun faster, tightening his hold. When he came to a stop, he set me back on my feet, keeping his arms around me. One hand came up to brush a few strands of hair out of my face while the other moved to cup my cheek.

"I love you, Bella," Jake whispered.

My breath caught in my throat and I couldn't breath. Slowly, Jake lowered his lips to mine, kissing me softly. My breath rushed out of me with a soft sigh. It was so like our other kisses, but different. My arms came up and wrapped around his neck, pulling him close. He responded by wrapping his arms back around my waist, lifting me against him. I held on for dear life as he continued to kiss me.

His tongue flicked out and brushed against my lips causing me to gasp. He took advantage of my shock and latched back on, slipping his tongue in between the seam of my lips. He tasted like fresh watermelon and honeysuckle. It was a heady combination and I was finding myself getting drunk on his taste. I moaned slightly, wanting him closer. He responded with a growl, grasping my hips and pulling them to his own. The movement shocked me, breaking me out of the haze I was in.

Jake sensed the change in me and slowed down, gently nipping at my lips once more before pulling back. We were both breathing heavily. His eyes were a little crazed, but I could still see my Jacob in them. His hands hadn't moved from my hips and mine were grabbing his shoulders. I found myself liking him touching me so intimately. It was nice, kind of possessive.

I leaned up and gave him a quick peck before coming back to my feet. His eyes changed to become fully Jake's. They sparkled a little as he looked down at me, nothing but love in them. I sighed and snuggled into his chest. His arms moved to wrap around my waist, securing me to him.

"Be mine, Bella," Jake murmured into my hair.

I tensed against him. His arms loosened a little and he pulled back just enough so he could look me in the eye.

"I know, Bella. I know you still love him. But you love me, too. I know you do. And I can wait for you to realize it. Please, just say yes. I won't push you. We'll take everything at your pace. I promise. I just need to know that you're mine and no one else's," Jake pleaded softly.

"That's just it, Jake. I'll never fully be yours. Part of me will always belong to him. And it's a pretty big part. You deserve someone so much better than me," I whimpered, tears coming to my eyes.

"There is no one better than you, Bella Swan. And I can wait. One day, I'll hold the bigger part of your heart. Give me the chance, Bella. Please," Jake begged.

I could never refuse Jake anything he wanted. He was my sun, my light. And I did love him. I couldn't deny that, didn't want to. I just wish he'd imprinted on me. Which brought up another thing.

"Jake, what if you imprint?" I asked, my voice quiet.

"Not going to happen, honey. The only girl I see is you," Jake whispered.

"But-"

Jake silenced me with a finger to my lips.

"Say yes, Bells," Jake said.

I bit my bottom lip.

"Yes."

The word barely came out, but Jake heard it. He smiled softly, closing his eyes, and breathing deep. Then, suddenly and without warning, he shouted, lifting me up and spinning me around again. And we were laughing, happy.

It was perfect.

* * *

It was hell.

When Sam told me yesterday that Leah and Seth would be phasing soon, I hadn't realized he'd meant today. We were standing in a clearing with the brother and sister before us. Sam was in wolf form so when the two phased again, he could be there to talk them through everything.

Leah Clearwater hated me on sight. I wasn't sure what I'd done to make her so mad, but she obviously had a vendetta against me. I think she blamed me for her transformation. I didn't see how it was my fault, but I wasn't arguing with her. That would just make her hate me even more.

Jake had told me the story about Sam, Emily, and Leah. It had broken my heart to hear about their story. I had hoped I'd be able to help Leah move on. That we could maybe become friends.

No such luck.

Seth Clearwater was the complete opposite of his sister. He was cheerful and eager to please. He and I instantly formed a bond. He reminded me so much of Jake before the change. Easy going and quick to laugh.

_Tell Seth to go change in the woods and come back,_ Sam said, nodding his head in the direction.

"Seth, why don't you go over there and phase?" I suggested, motioning towards the trees.

"Sure thing, Bella," Seth chirped, moving over to where I'd indicated.

"Leah, do you want to try again?" I asked calmly.

"No," Leah snapped.

I couldn't blame her. It must be hard to be inside Sam's head and see all his thoughts about Emily.

I nodded once and waited for Seth to come out from behind the trees. I felt the moment when he phased, just like I did when any other member of the pack phased. Soon, I'd be able to tell who was phasing instead of just knowing that one of them was phasing. Apparently, just because I was the Omega and had the bond with Sam, didn't mean my powers were fully controlled. They still needed to be developed and worked on.

Seth trotted out of the woods, obviously pleased with himself. He wagged his tail, showing off his sandy colored coat. I smiled endearingly at him, enjoying his pleasure.

I heard Sam tell Seth they were going to try getting him to phase back. The two walked off into the woods again. I looked over at Leah, feeling the awkward silence.

"Did you have any questions or need help with anything?" I asked.

"No," she replied shortly.

"Okay. Well, I don't think Sam has anything else for us. Do you wanna get out of here?" I offered.

Without a word, Leah walked away. I didn't even bother trying to follow. It would only make things worse. So, I stood there and waited for Sam and Seth to come out from behind the trees.

It didn't take long. Sam was a very good Alpha and with me close by, Seth was phasing easily. The two walked out less than five minutes after Leah'd left. Seth was grinning like a madman while Sam watched him with a small smile on his face. Sam glanced around the clearing once before resting his eyes on me.

"Leah left?" he asked.

"Yeah. I figured you were done with her. She caught on so well," I shrugged.

Sam nodded, frowning at the ground.

"Bella! Did you see me?" Seth asked excitedly.

"Of course I did, Seth. How could I not? You're a huge sandy wolf," I chuckled, rubbing his head affectionately.

Seth laughed, dodging my hand.

"Come on, kid. We'd best get Bella here back to Jacob. No doubt he's paced a trench in my living room waiting for us," Sam smirked, giving me a teasing look.

"Oh, shut it, Mr. Alpha. You shouldn't be mean to me. I can make your life much more difficult than it already is," I warned, laughing.

Sam let out a little chuckle, shaking his head. The bond between Sam and I was different from the rest of the wolves. Because we had worked for some many hours together to form the bond, we had developed a friendship along with it. He really didn't need to voice his thoughts to me; I already knew what he was thinking as he thought them. We were completely in sync. It made working with the pack much easier.

"Do you think Emily will have food ready when we get there?" Seth asked hopefully.

"Unless Jake ate it all," I smiled.

"We'd better hurry up then! I'm hungry!" Seth said, grabbing my hand and pulling me along.

I laughed as we raced through the trees, Sam close behind us. We made it to Sam and Emily's house in about ten minutes. Seth barged right through the door, already completely at home doing so. He let go of my hand in the doorway and raced into the kitchen.

No sooner had my hand been released, it was grabbed up again and used to spin me into a very warm, very hard chest. Jake's arms wrapped around me, his lips pressed against the top of my head.

"I missed you," Jake murmured.

"I missed you, too," I said.

I was surprised by the truth of my statement. We'd only been apart for about two hours and, yet, I'd missed him like crazy. There had been an absence in my heart I hadn't really taken notice of until it was gone. Jake filled up the hole.

"How was it?" Jake asked, pulling back and leading me to the sofa.

"Good, but I don't think Leah likes me," I sighed, leaning into the couch.

"I wouldn't worry about her. She doesn't like anyone," Jake shrugged.

"Jake!" I admonished, slapping his arm.

He chuckled and grabbed hold of my hand. He kissed each finger once before kissing my palm. I trembled a little as his tongue darted out to taste my skin. His brown eyes trapped mine in their gaze. I felt the brush flood my cheeks as I bit my lip nervously. I couldn't believe he was being so… _seductive_ in Sam and Emily's living room. It was wrong on so many levels.

But I didn't want him to stop.

He smirked at my disappointed expression when he placed our joined hands in his lap. His other hand reached up and brushed some hair behind my ear. He leaned in and gave me a quick kiss.

"I love you," Jake murmured.

I smiled sadly at him, not sure if I should say it back. I knew I loved him, but my love for _him_ still overshadowed my love for Jake.

Before I could answer Jake gave me a brilliant smile.

"I'm so glad you aren't saying it, Bella," he admitted.

"Why?" I asked, giving him a confused look.

"It means that when you finally do say it, you'll mean it. Completely. I'll have your whole heart at that point. I'm willing to wait," Jake promised, kissing me again.

I leaned into it this time, enjoying the movement of his lips against me. He pulled away all too quickly and I gave a little moan of disappointment. Jake just chuckled, backing further away.

"You don't play fair, Jacob Black," I accused.

"Guilty," Jake grinned.

I sighed and stood up. I glanced over at the mantle above the little fireplace and saw it was about four in the afternoon. Charlie would be getting home in about an hour and a half. If I left now, I'd still have plenty of time to fix him dinner.

"Sam, I'm heading out!" I called into the kitchen.

"Alright, Bella. See you tomorrow," Sam called back.

"Bye, Bella! Thanks for today!" Seth shouted, his voice muffled with food.

"No problem, Seth," I grinned even though he couldn't see me.

"Be safe heading back, Bella," Emily ordered, coming out of the kitchen to give me a quick hug.

"No worried, Em. I'll be with her," Jake scoffed, standing up from the couch.

Emily gave him a "yeah, right" look.

"Be extra careful, then," she told me.

I laughed at Jake's shocked expression.

"Emily! I'm hurt!" Jake cried, clutching his chest.

"You'll get over it," Emily assured him, patting his shoulder on her way back into the kitchen.

I continued to chuckle softly as we left the little grey house. Jake held open the passenger side door for me before climbing into the driver's seat. He gave me a look as he started the engine.

"Sure, Bells. Go ahead and laugh at your pathetic boyfriend," Jake pouted.

I stopped laughing, but continued to smile at him.

"I like that word," I told him, scooting closer.

"Which one?" Jake asked innocently.

"Mmm. Boyfriend," I answered, kissing him.

This time, it was the kiss I wanted. His tongue swept into my mouth, battling with my own. I moaned a little as his hands trailed down my sides, stopping to grasp my hips. He gave a little moan in response and broke the kiss.

"You're trying to kill me, aren't you?" Jake whined, putting the truck in gear.

"Maybe," I replied slyly.

I laughed at his pained expression.

I was good for the rest of the ride, snuggled against his side with his arm around my shoulders. My hands stayed in my lap while his thumb rubbed against my upper arm causing goose bumps. He smirked down at me when I shivered against him.

"Cold, Bells?" he asked.

"No," I murmured, blushing slightly.

Jake laughed, bringing his hand up to brush against my heated cheek.

"I love it when you blush," Jake told me.

This just caused me to blush further. He laughed again as we pulled into my driveway. He sighed heavily as he turned off the truck. He began fiddling with the keys. I reached up to grab the hand draped over my shoulder. He squeezed it gently before pulling me into an awkward hug. Awkward because of our positions, not our feelings.

"I don't wanna let you go," Jake admitted.

"I don't want you to," I whispered.

He groaned softly and opened the truck door, sliding out. I followed after him, dropping into his waiting arms. He pulled me close, burying his nose into my hair and breathing deeply. With a quick kiss to my forehead, he stood up.

"Can I come see you tonight? After Charlie's asleep?" Jake asked.

I nodded once, smiling.

"Keep your window open," Jake whispered in my ear, giving the lobe a little nip.

I gasped and swayed against him. Jake growled softly and pushed me against the truck. His hands moved to my hips and lifted me up. My legs wrapped around his waist as his lips crashed onto mine.

This kiss was nothing like the ones we'd shared before. This was purely physical, animalistic. His tongue dominated mine, claiming me. His lips moved to my jaw line and down to my neck. He placed open mouth kisses up and down my throat, nipping at the skin gently. I was breathing heavily at this point, clutching his head to my neck. My fingers were threaded through his hair, my head thrown back in invitation.

With a feral growl, Jake wrenched his lips from me. His eyes were wild when they met mine. I shivered once at their brightness. Jake lowered me slowly to the ground, allowing me to rub against his entire body on the way down. He moaned softly in pain as I brushed against his sensitive, swollen member. I blushed at the feel of his arousal.

"I'm sorry, Bells," Jake panted.

"S'okay," I murmured, burying my head in his chest.

"You better get inside. I'll be by later tonight," Jake suggested, pushing me towards the steps.

I walked up to the door, turning once to see Jake still standing by my truck. I figured he would be around until Charlie fell asleep. One of the wolves was always around the house. Right now, who ever was on patrol was running around the back, giving Jake and I some privacy. I smiled slightly as I shut the door behind me.

It felt like everything was finally going right.

* * *

**I can't believe I just wrote this in two hours! Oh my gosh, the muse was with me tonight!! You guys should be happy! I wasn't thinking I'd get another chapter done till mid-week! I really hope you enjoyed it! I think it's my favorite so far!! Little more Bella-Jake action!! Yay!! Love Bella-Jake action!!**


	6. Chapter 6: Don't Give Up

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Six

_It was dark, but I could see the outline of the moon through the clouds. I could hear the sound of the ocean as it crashed against the shore. I could smell the salt water as it mixed beautifully with the smell of pine and fir trees. The night air helped cool my overheated skin. _

_I was on a cliff near First Beach._

_I walked over to the edge and looked down. The ocean roared in displeasure as it slammed against the rocks. _

_It was hungry. _

_I was going to feed it. _

_It would take away all my pain. _

_Then, I wouldn't have to hear his thoughts every time I phased. I wouldn't have to see how happy he was with my cousin. I wouldn't have to help her plan the wedding. I wouldn't have to live in agony as they went about their happy little lives. I would be free._

_I sighed, breathing in everything around me. I closed my eyes and allowed myself to fall._

* * *

I woke up screaming.

One look around and I realized I was on the cliff I had been dreaming about. I groaned softly, sinking to the ground. My feet hung over the edge of the cliff and I realized how close I had been to actually falling. I breathed deeply for a few minutes, just trying to get my bearings back. The dream had felt so real. I wondered if she was really planning on doing it.

I had to go see her.

I stood up and closed my eyes, trying to get a sense of where she was. I could tell Seth was patrolling with Paul close by. Reaching out to him, I pushed into his mind.

_Seth, where's Leah?_

_Bella? What are you doing? Where are you?_ Seth asked, coming to a stop in the middle of the woods.

I saw through his eyes as Paul came to a stop as well, giving him a confused look.

_Never mind that. Where's Leah?_ I asked, becoming concerned.

_She's at home. She has to patrol tomorrow night. She stayed up tonight so she can get used to it. Why?_ Seth asked.

_Thanks, Seth. See you later!_ I said without answering his question.

_Bella!_

I broke the connection between us and headed towards the Clearwater house. I could feel the sun begin it's climb into the sky and knew Jake would be headed over to my house soon. I hoped to be done at Leah's before he managed to leave his house. I could save him the trip and worry about where I was.

Ugh! Charlie was probably freaking out right now.

I couldn't do anything about it until I made it to the Clearwater's. I had to talk to Leah and figure out why she wanted to kill herself. Even if Sam had imprinted on Emily, it didn't mean she had to go jump off a cliff. There had to be something I could do. I was the Omega, for crying out loud. I was supposed to bring my pack peace.

It was dawn by the time I reached Leah's house. I knocked gently, hoping she would be the only one to hear me. Not five seconds after I'd knocked, Harry Clearwater opened the door. He looked surprised to see me.

"Omega? What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I'm here to see Leah. Is she awake?" I asked timidly.

"Of course. Come in," Harry ushered me into the house.

I followed him and was glad to see Leah sitting at the kitchen table. She didn't look near as happy to see me. Sue was at the stove, fixing breakfast.

"Welcome, Bella. Are you hungry?" Sue asked kindly.

"No, thank you, Mrs. Clearwater," I politely declined.

"She's here to see Leah," Harry grunted.

Leah glared daggers at me before standing up.

"Come on," she groused.

I followed her outside. She sat on the front step, looking out into the front yard. I sat beside her, hoping to ease into the conversation.

"What do you want?" Leah asked through clenched teeth.

"Leah, did you have a weird dream last night?" I asked, hoping it was just the dream.

"No. Why?" she snapped.

"I had a dream that you were standing on a cliff and threw yourself over. When I woke up, I was at the cliffs near First Beach. I'm worried about you," I admitted.

"Why? What do you care if I kill myself? What does anyone care?" Leah asked harshly.

"Leah, you are part of the pack. That makes you family. Family sticks together. If you're having trouble, we should talk about it. I want to help you," I said, wanting to grab her hand, but knowing it wouldn't help.

Leah snorted and glared up at the sky.

"Everyone wants me to talk about it. What if I don't want to? What if I want to dwell on the past? It's the only good thing I see anymore," Leah sneered.

"Something good will happen to you, Leah. You just have to stop looking back," I encouraged.

"Look who's talking," Leah scoffed, glaring at me.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, frowning.

"You can't let go of your past. You're so hung up on Edward, you can't see what's right in front of you. Jake would do _anything_ for you, but you treat him like a dog. You give him little pats on the head and coo at him, but if that filthy bloodsucker walked back, you'd leave Jake. Do you _know_ what that would do to him? It would kill him. _You_ would kill him," Leah accused.

I just stared at her, completely dumbfounded. I had no comeback. Everything she had said was true. I was just stringing Jake along. If Edward did come back, I would go running right back into his arms. Wouldn't I?

Oh my gosh!

I'd just thought his name! I clutched at my chest, expecting to feel the familiar burning sensation. Instead, all I felt was a soft ache, but I could definitely handle it. I stared at Leah, my eyes wide. She looked at me a little concerned. Not apologetic, just like I was crazy.

"Oh my gosh," I gasped.

"What?" Leah glared.

"I did it. I thought his name," I whispered.

"What are you talking about?" Leah groused.

"Edward. Ha! I just said his name! Oh my gosh! I have to go tell Jake!" I laughed, smiling wide.

I jumped up and continued to smile down at Leah. Impulsively, I reached down and hugged her. She stiffened in my grasp, but didn't pull away. I let go before she could attack me with her words. I was too happy to let her ruin my moment.

"Thank you, Leah. Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I cried, jumping down the steps and turning towards Jake's.

Before I made it too far, I turned back around and pointed a finger at her. She was watching me with wide eyes, her mouth open in shock.

"Don't think about killing yourself tonight. I will know and I will tell Sam," I warned.

She glared at me again and I smiled, shaking my finger at her. She growled and stood up, storming into the house. I laughed and turned back around and began running to Jake's. Before I could get there, I ran into Seth.

"Bella? What the hell was that this morning?" Seth asked, grabbing my arm.

"Nothing, Seth. It was just between me and your sister," I assured him, still smiling.

"Why are you so happy?" he asked, returning my smile hesitantly.

"I have to see Jake," I answered, bouncing in place.

"Oh. Would you like some company?" Seth offered.

"No. You go get some sleep. I'll see you later," I promised, patting his shoulder as I continued walking.

"Okay. Bye, Bella," Seth called.

I waved over my shoulder and began running down the road. I was running down the driveway when Jake stepped outside, eyes on the ground. He didn't look happy. I was about to change that.

"Jake!" I cried, running full tilt towards him.

He looked up in surprise and smiled when he saw me. He turned so he was facing me just in time for me to plow into him, causing him to stumble back with a muffled grunt. I laughed, throwing my arms around his neck and bringing my legs up to wrap around his waist. His arms came around me to secure my place against him.

"You will never guess what just happened," I grinned, looking into his eyes.

Everything stopped. I couldn't even breathe. All my being was focused on Jake. Nothing else mattered. Everything that used to matter disappeared to be replaced by this man. He was it. He was everything. Jacob Black was my heart.

I blinked and it all came back into focus. I was able to breathe, but Jake had become the new focus of my world. He was looking at me in surprise, his eyes darker than usual.

"What… just happened?" I asked softly.

I watched as his tongue darted out to moisten his lips and wished my lips were pressed against his so I could feel that tongue. Instead, I focused on his eyes, waiting for him to answer my question.

"I think… I just imprinted on you," Jake whispered.

I felt my eyes go wide as I dropped my legs from around his waist and fell to the ground. Jake kept his arms around me, not allowing me to pull away.

"How is that possible?" I asked.

"I don't know. It's supposed to happen when I first see you. I don't know why it took so long," Jake admitted.

I bit my lip and looked up at him. His face was guarded and I didn't like it. I couldn't tell what he was thinking. I tried to read his emotions, but he was keeping those guarded as well. It was frustrating not knowing what was going on inside of him. I realized this must be what Edward had felt when he couldn't read my mind.

"Jake?" I asked, hoping he'd break the wall around himself.

He glanced down at me, his eyes still blank. I reached up and brushed my fingers against his cheek. He closed his eyes and leaned into my hand, bringing up one of his own to hold it there. I smiled a little at the picture he presented. A big, bad werewolf cuddled into my small, little hand.

"Are you… upset about this?" I mumbled, my eyes cast down.

Jake's hand wrapped around mine tightly and he yanked me up and into his arms. He was growling as I came up to make eye contact with him. Instinctively, I wrapped my arms and legs around him again. One of his hands was fisted in my hair while the other encircled my waist.

"Never! I have been dreaming about this for too long to ever be upset or disappointed or angry or any other negative thought that comes into your head," Jake hissed, his face fierce.

I gulped and nodded my head, bringing my hands around to brush against his face. He closed his eyes and struggled to regain control of his breathing. His trembling slowed as I continued to pet him. When he was completely calm, I leaned up and placed a kiss against his lips.

He moaned softly and pulled me closer, his tongue slipping out and tasting mine. It was a quick kiss, but still full of passion and promises. His hands slipped to my hips, keeping my legs wrapped around him as he tortured my mouth in the sweetest way. He moved his mouth to my jaw, gently biting the skin before kissing away the sting. It was heady and addictive. I didn't ever want him to stop.

"Eh-hem."

I jerked back in surprise at someone clearing their throats. I glanced around and my eyes landed on Billy. He was watching us from the porch, a knowing smile gracing his face. I felt myself blush scarlet as Jake let me slide back to the ground. He chuckled lightly as he ran a finger down my cheek. He placed a kiss along the path of his finger.

"Don't worry, honey. He's just teasing," Jake whispered in my ear.

I bit my lip in embarrassment and continued to blush. Jake laughed and pulled me to his side before turning to his dad.

"Dad, what do you know about the imprinting process?" Jake asked and I tensed beside him.

He gave my shoulder a quick squeeze and brushed his lips against the top of my head. I relaxed against him, my hand reaching up to hold the one draped across me. He held on tight while we waited for Billy to answer his question.

"Not much, honestly. We're kind of learning as we go," Billy shrugged.

"I think I just imprinted on Bella," Jake admitted.

Billy's eyes went wide and he looked between the two of us.

"Well, now. I might have a theory about that," Billy grinned.

We waited, but he didn't elaborate.

"Would you mind sharing?" Jake asked sarcastically when Billy just continued to grin.

"Sure. Let's get inside, though. It's damned cold out here," Billy grumbled, turning to go back inside.

Jake pulled me forward and into the house. He sat down on the sofa with me beside him. We watched as Billy wheeled himself to sit right in front of us. He was watching us with a satisfied smile about his lips. I figured he was thinking about how well his and Charlie's plan was going to work now. They'd been planning our wedding since we were in diapers.

"Alright, so you know how imprinting works, right?" Billy asked.

Jake and I both nodded.

"Well, I think Bella here had a choice to make. She is an Omega, after all. Omegas are not strictly regulated to werewolves. Truthfully, all species have some form of an Omega. For instance, if Bella had bonded with a vampire, she would have been an _eirene aggelou_. All creatures can bond with an Omega.

"Now, Bell was bonded to the Cullen's. However, when they left, the bond was broken. That allowed for a new bond to form. Unfortunately, because Bella was still holding on to Edward, her future was still undecided. I can only assume that since you have now imprinted, she has finally let him go," Billy explained, smiling fondly at me.

It was quiet for a while as Jake and I tried to process what Billy had just said. When I looked up at Jake, he was looking down at me with wary hope. I took his hand and brought it to my lap. He looked away from my eyes to our hands.

"That's actually what I was coming to tell you. I said his name today and it didn't hurt. There was a dull ache, but nothing compared to before. I'm finally moving on," I whispered.

Jake looked back into my eyes, his filled with pure love as he brought my hand up and kissed it.

"I knew you would," he murmured.

I flashed him the most brilliant smile I could, loving the feel of it. Jake's was just as wide as he smiled back at me. He suddenly stood up and pulled me into his arms, laughing as he spun us around.

"I can't believe this! Everything I've ever wanted is right here! God, I love you!" Jake grinned.

He stopped spinning and placed me on my feet before leaning down and giving me a very passionate kiss. He broke away way too soon, still grinning like a fool. Billy chuckled softly from behind us and I heard his wheels as he rolled towards us.

"Congratulations, Jake. Bella. You deserve this," Billy said.

I leaned down and gave him a hug, silently thanking him for accepting this. Jake whooped and hugged his father as well. The two men laughed as I watched. Then, Jake pulled me into the hug as well and we all laughed in celebration.

"Dad, I gotta call Sam and set up a bonfire for tonight. I want everyone to know that my Bella has finally let me in," Jake stated, smiling arrogantly.

I rolled my eyes at him, but couldn't help the smile that slid onto my own face at his obvious happiness. I was finally doing something to help Jake instead of the other way around. I watched as he hurried into the kitchen to call Sam. Billy sighed beside me and I looked down to see him watching me with a satisfied look on his face.

"What?" I asked, feeling myself blush.

"I'm proud of you," Billy said.

"What for?" I laughed nervously.

"You've done well at stepping up to your role as Omega. And now you've let go of the bloodsucker. I don't know how you did it, but I'm glad you did," Billy explained.

"Actually, it was all Leah. I went over to see her this morning and we had a talk that made me realize it was time to let him go," I admitted.

Billy nodded and I wondered if I should tell him about my dream. Should Harry and Sue be informed that their daughter was suicidal? Would it make a difference?

"Billy? You remember the dream I had about the battle in the field?" I asked cautiously.

He nodded once giving me a curious look.

"Do you think it was prophetic?" I questioned, looking at my nails.

"Possibly. The Elders and I have discussed it. We think you might have some ability to see into the future," Billy replied.

"Do you think all my dreams are?" I asked, biting my lip.

"No," Billy frowned.

I huffed a breath, working up the courage to tell him.

"Last night, I had another dream. It was similar to the one where I ended up in the field, except I was going to a cliff this time. I was standing at the cliff by First Beach, just waiting. And then… I jumped. When I woke up, I was standing at the edge of the cliff, screaming. What do you think it means?" I asked.

"Could mean anything," Billy sighed, looking out the front window.

"Do you think… I'm going to end up jumping off a cliff?" I probed.

"Not you, Bella. I don't see why you would," Billy chuckled, looking back at me.

"But someone else might?" I continued.

Billy pursed his lips and didn't respond. He didn't need to. I could feel the answer in the air. Leah would try to kill herself.

And right now, I was the only one who knew.

* * *

That night at the bonfire, I couldn't stay still. I was constantly looking around for Leah or attempting to feel her essence. Jake chalked up my constant movement to excitement at telling the pack he had imprinted on me. He could barely contain himself when we walked up to the others on the beach. He was smiling brightly and laughing at the slightest thing.

I noticed Sam was watching me and figured he was sensing my anxiety. I flashed him a quick smile, hoping to assure him that everything was fine. I didn't want him worrying about Leah. Leah would probably kill me for telling him anything, anyway. Thankfully, his gaze shifted to Emily as she came to stand beside him. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hey, Bella!"

I turned to see Seth coming towards me, a huge smile across his face. I smiled back and turned to face him fully. He leaned down and gave me a hug, popping my back in the process.

"Oops. Forget how fragile you are," Seth chuckled, stepping back.

"It's alright, Seth. Where's Leah?" I asked, looking behind him to see Sue and Harry walking towards Billy.

"Oh, she's patrolling tonight," Seth shrugged, looking around at the pack.

"What? Where?" I asked, my eyes going wide.

"Just around La Push. Why?" Seth frowned.

"Nothing. I have to-"

"Hey, Seth. Hey there, beautiful," Jake greeted, sliding his arm around my waist.

"Hey, Jake. Man, this is awesome. What's the occasion?" Seth asked, smiling wide.

"You'll just have to wait," Jake grinned, pulling me closer.

Seth looked between the two of us, giving us curious looks. I just smiled at him. It felt forced, but they both accepted it. Soon, Jake was pulling Seth towards the rest of the pack, talking happily. I glanced around, hoping no one was watching me.

When the coast was clear, I hurried into the trees. I was sure it wouldn't take long to get to the cliff and I'd be back before anyone missed me. Most importantly, Jake.

I ran in the direction of the cliff, hoping I would get there in time. I didn't want to have to tell the Clearwater's their daughter had ended her own life because she was a werewolf. And I knew the news would kill Seth. He looked up to Leah so much, even if he tried to hide it.

I burst out of the trees in time to see Leah looking towards the beach longingly.

"Leah! Stop!" I shouted, coming to a stop a few feet away from her.

"Go away, Bella. Or should I say Omega?" Leah sneered, not turning to face me.

"You can't do this! You can't do this to your parents and Seth!" I yelled.

"What do they care? Huh? Do you see them up here? I don't even know why you should care! They obviously don't!" Leah screamed back.

"I told you. You're pack. That makes you family," I whispered.

"I'm not pack. I don't want to be pack. I never wanted this. It's because of this stupid werewolf gene that Sam left me for my cousin! _We_ were supposed to be getting married!" Leah cried, tears streaming down her face.

"Leah, let's just stop and think about this. We can walk down to the beach right now and talk it out with everyone," I coaxed.

"No. I'm done talking. I'm done feeling this way. You have no idea, Bella. The agony is unbearable," Leah sobbed, clutching her chest.

"Yes, I do! Leah, listen to me. I'm an Omega. That means I bond with people, or species. I bonded with the Cullens and they left. That nearly killed me. I _have_ to be bonded to something. It's my job as an Omega. I have to bring peace to people. When the Cullens broke our bond, it was just like what you're feeling, but so much worse. It was almost like an imprint, except I didn't feel like that about the leader. Carlisle was like my father. I lost my entire family in one sweep as well as my love.

"But look at how things have turned around! I'm bonded to the pack now and I couldn't be happier. Just today, Jake imprinted on me. I'm his forever now. Nothing can break that bond. You'll find your own imprint, Leah, and it'll be with the guy who truly is perfect for you. I know it. I can feel it," I pleaded with her.

Leah looked at me, her eyes so sad.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I just can't keep fighting to take another breath. The fight's gone out of me," she whispered.

"Let me help you," I begged, moving closer.

She took a step back, shaking her head.

"Nothing you do will help. I'm beyond help now," Leah sighed.

She turned and looked over the cliff. I watched as she took in a deep breath. I moved forward to grab her, but she stepped over before my hand could reach her.

"NO!" I screamed, moving to the edge of the cliff and looking down.

I watched as she plummeted to the water. I winced as I saw her body smack against the surface. I could still sense her, but her essence was fading fast.

Without a second thought, I backed up, took a running start, and dived into the water behind her. On my way down, I struggled to flip myself over so that I was feet first. My body jackknifed into the water. The cold seeped into my very bones as I surged down.

I clawed at the water, fighting my way to the surface. I broke through and gasped in a lung full of air.

"LEAH!" I screamed, spinning around, hoping to see her.

It was all dark.

I struggled to keep my head above water, focusing everything in me on feeling Leah. Closing my eyes, I swam the in direction I felt her faint presence until I swam right into her. Her body was colder than usual, no doubt because of the freezing temperature of the water.

I grabbed her around her shoulders and pulled her head back up against my chest. I glanced towards the shore, unsure if I would be able to tow her in.

The Elders had told me while I was bonding with Sam that I would be able to draw upon the pack strength if I needed to. I used that bond to propel us towards shore. Little by little, I swam us backwards, hoping the shore was getting close. I could hear voices shouting and the faint sound of splashes, but ignored them. I needed to focus if we were going to make it to shore.

Suddenly, Leah was being ripped out of my arms by some unknown source. I struggled and fought to grab hold of her again, but I felt arms wrap around my waist and pull me against a solid force.

"No! Leah!" I cried, fighting to get back to her.

"Bella! Bella, calm down! Sam's got her!"

I stopped struggling and turned my head to see that Jacob had a hold of me. His body was extremely warm against mine and I figured the ocean had dropped my body temperature dangerously low.

I began swimming again as we moved towards shore. I couldn't relax, as Jacob requested, until I knew Leah was safe. I helped as he swam us closer in. He tried to tell me to let him do the work, but I ignored him. I was completely focused on getting to that faint essence I could feel swimming ahead of me.

When I felt sand under my feet, I started pushing. Jake kept hold of me as we broke through the waves. I saw Leah lying out on the beach as Sam performed CPR. Emily and Sue were crying while Harry and Seth comforted them. The rest of the pack was standing around, watching.

As Jake and I broke free of the surf, I ran over to Leah's side.

"Get off her, Sam!" I growled, shoving him out of the way.

He stumbled back, shocked.

I had no idea how to do this, but I knew one of my wolves was in trouble. I concentrated on what little essence I could still feel from Leah and pushed my own energy into her. I drew on the pack strength to revive her. They all felt it and tried to push more of their energy out, but I blocked their efforts, using my Omega strength that came from healing. Her essence was growing stronger, but I refused to stop until I felt it become whole again.

"Omega, you must stop."

I snarled at the voice and hand on my shoulder. Leah still needed me. I could feel it. The cracks in her essence were slowly mending.

"Omega! Stop!"

I ignored the new voice, focusing that much harder on Leah. I could feel the power building and I welcomed it.

"Bella!"

There was a flash and then everything went dark.

* * *

**Yay! Another chapter! Aren't you happy? Now, I know a lot of you (probably all of you) are going to be upset that I made so much of this chapter about Leah when it should have been about Jake and Bella. I just wanna say, trust me! Jake and Bella have the rest of the story to be together and all imprint-y! Have some faith in me! Next chapter will be all about Jake and Bella! Promise!! See you next time!!**

_eirene aggelou_- "peace bringer"


	7. Chapter 7: The Hospital

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Seven

I could hear voices, but my eyes refused to open. People were talking around me. I tried to answer them. They sounded worried and angry. I didn't understand why. I wanted them to go away and let me sleep. I was too tired to listen to them arguing.

My wish was granted as I heard the voices fade.

* * *

I could hear a faint beeping and smell bleach. Instantly, I knew I was in a hospital somewhere. I recognized the steady rhythm of the heart monitor beeping in time to the _drip-drip_ of the IV.

I struggled to remember what had happened. I remembered Leah jumping and me diving in after her. I remembered Sam taking Leah while Jake swam with me to shore. I remember pushing my healing power onto Leah, a bright flash, then nothing.

Had healing Leah drained me? The Elders had said healing increased my powers. I couldn't understand what had gone wrong.

It was quiet, but I could feel someone else in the room with me. I didn't need my Omega bond to tell me it was Jacob. Even before the imprint, I would've been able to tell it was him. Our connection ran deeper than my bond to the pack. I was his imprint, his whole world; just like he was mine.

Guilt washed over me as I realized I'd wrecked his night. He was so excited to tell the pack about us and I had ruined it by going after Leah. I moaned slightly at what I'd done to him. I felt the bed jerk a little and figured he'd been lying on it, but had woken up when I moaned.

"Bells? Honey?" his voice called.

I grimaced, fighting to open my eyes. His hands smoothed against my hair as his thumbs brushed my cheeks.

I blinked and moaned again at the bright light.

"Bella? What is it? What hurts?" Jake asked frantically.

"Lights," I rasped.

I heard his footsteps as he walked away from the bed. There was a click and then he was moving back towards me. I felt his hands in my hair again and chanced a peek. The room was darker and it didn't hurt nearly as much to open my eyes. I sighed and looked up at Jake in gratitude. The sight of him made me gasp.

He had huge bags under his eyes and he looked like he hadn't slept in days. His eyes were red from either lack of sleep or crying; I couldn't tell which. His jaw was tight and there was a line formed between his brows. I reached up and gently smoothed out his features, trying to get him to relax. He jaw tightened and he swallowed.

"What happened?" I asked in a rough voice.

"Don't talk just yet," Jake said.

I pushed into his mind.

_What happened?_ I asked again.

His face tightened even more, if it was possible. He looked like he was carved from stone. I didn't like it. I wanted to see his face soft and smooth.

_You nearly killed yourself trying to heal Leah's soul,_ Jake answered.

_What? How? I'm supposed to heal people," _I reminded him.

_Yeah, but healing souls takes a lot more power and energy than healing bodies. You refused to call upon the pack strength which you need when healing souls,_ Jake explained.

I frowned up at him, not really understanding. I hadn't been trying to heal Leah's soul. I'd been trying to heal her body. What was he talking about healing her soul?

_You were in full Omega form. You couldn't tell the difference between her body and her soul. All you knew was that she was broken and you could fix it. Billy and Harry tried to get you to stop, but you wouldn't listen. By the time I realized what was happening, it was too late. I called for you, but you blacked out. You've been asleep for three days, _Jake continued.

My eyes widened as he said that. Three days? Charlie must be frantic!

_Charlie's in the cafeteria now. We haven't left since you've been brought in. The rest of the pack is in the waiting room, _Jake said, answering my unasked question.

_How are you doing that? _I asked.

_You're not blocking your mind. I can hear all your thoughts,_ Jake chuckled, a small smile coming to his lips.

I reached up and traced his lips, showing him what I saw; the most beautiful man in the world. He was so much better than me. He was light and caring. He contantly putting others before himself. I didn't deserve him.

_I'm the one who doesn't deserve you,_ Jake insisted.

He took hold of my hand and brought it to his lips. He closed his eyes and nuzzled into my palm, breathing deeply.

"Don't ever scare me like that again, honey. I don't think I could take it," Jake whispered, needing to say the words out loud.

I heard them in his thoughts, too. He showed me what had happened after I'd passed out. I felt like crying as he shared all his emotions from the past three days with me. I had caused him so much pain and worry without meaning to. I wanted nothing more than to make it right.

_I love you,_ I told him.

It came out naturally and I couldn't believe I hadn't said it before. I truly did love Jake. He was everything to me. Even when I had been mourning the loss of Edward, Jake had been my everything. He was it for me. My soulmate. I understood that now.

Jake flashed me my favorite smile and we both listened as my heart rate increased. Jake chuckled and leaned down to kiss me briefly. I could feel his relief in that kiss and it melted my heart.

"I love you, too, Bells. So much," Jake whispered, pulling me into his arms.

I snuggled into his chest, trying to absorb his warmth. He held me gently, but firmly, making me feel safe and cherished. It was heave being in his arms. Nothing else could compare.

He tensed suddenly and started to pull away. I held fast to his arm, not wanting to let him go. He flashed me a smile and kissed my temple.

"Charlie's coming. We have to be good," Jake insisted, taking my hand in his.

He took his place beside my bed again as the door opened. Charlie walked in a second later, turning on the lights as he did. I winced slightly and Jake growled low in his throat. I gave his hand a squeeze and looked at my dad.

Charlie looked almost as bad as Jake. His hair was uncombed and his eyes had dark bags under them. He was still in his uniform and I guessed he hadn't been home to change in the time I'd been here. When he saw I was awake, he rushed to my side.

"Bells! Oh, thank God you're okay!" Charlie cried, leaning over to hug me.

Jake tensed and growled again, too low for Charlie to hear. I shot him a warning look, but he was too busy watching Charlie to see.

_Chill out, Jake. It's Charlie,_ I thought to him.

He finally looked at me and relaxed. I gave him a smile which he hesitantly returned. Charlie pulled back and glanced between the two of us, his eyes landing on our joined hands.

"About time," he grumbled.

I grinned up at him. He gave me a small smile back.

"How do you feel, Bells?" Charlie asked.

I mouthed the word _good_. Charlie frowned.

"She can't speak, yet, Charlie. Her throat's a little rough," Jake explained.

"Should I get the nurse?" Charlie asked.

I shook my head no.

"Might be a good idea. They should know she's awake," Jake said, ignoring me.

I frowned and tugged on his arm. He just grinned at me while Charlie left the room in search of a nurse.

"What?" he asked.

_Not cool. I don't want a nurse,_ I whined.

"I don't want you to be in pain," Jake countered, brushing his fingers across my throat.

I sighed and let him feel my irritation. He just smiled because beneath my irritation, he could feel the love I had for him. He leaned over and placed a kiss beneath my ear.

"I'm sorry I growled at Charlie. I couldn't help it. I've been worried about you for three days. I didn't like seeing him smother you," Jake murmured in my ear.

My heart rate sped up again as his breath brushed against my skin. He chuckled and stood up.

"If you keep doing that, I'm going to get kicked out of here," Jake warned.

_Stop kissing me, then,_ I hissed back.

His eyes darkened and his face turned serious.

"You don't want me to stop," Jake said.

I swallowed as he came closer to me again. He kept eye contact with me until his lips were just a hair away from mine.

"Do you, Bella?" Jake asked.

I felt his lips brush against mine as he talked. He was torturing me. It was completely unfair.

Just as I was about to press my lips to his, he jerked back and the door to my room was suddenly filled with people trying to get in. I glared at Jake as our pack filed in, all talking at once. Seth surprised both Jake and I by running up to me and throwing his arms around my neck. Jake growled and yanked him off me.

"Sit," Jake ordered, shoving a surprised Seth into a chair.

I could feel Jacob's anxiety rolling off him and it made me nervous. My breathing and heart rate accelerated. Everyone noticed and began worrying, just adding to my own nerves. I didn't know what was happening and that scared me even more. Everyone was talking at once, trying to figure out what was going on.

One voice rose above the others.

"Everybody, out!"

It was a command that the entire pack had to follow. Sam was standing at the foot of my bed, glaring at them. Jake was growling ferociously, not even trying to stay quiet.

"Out, Jacob!" Sam ordered, pointing towards the door.

Jake dragged his feet, looking back at me. He was scared to leave me alone with Sam. He was worried I'd go back to sleep. He didn't like not knowing what was happening to me.

"It's okay," I wheezed, not having the mental strength to project into his mind.

Jake struggled against Sam's command, wanting to come back to me. I started crying, feeling his pain and worry. It wasn't fair of Sam to make him leave. I didn't want him to leave. It hurt too much just thinking about it.

"Jake, stay," I sobbed, clutching at my chest.

Instantly, warm arms encircled me, keeping me together. Jake was still growling at Sam, putting himself between us. I grasped Jake's body to mine, needing him closer.

"Don't go," I gasped.

"Shh, honey. I'm not going anywhere. I'm here. I promise," Jake murmured into my hair, his body still trembling from defying his Alpha.

"Bella, he needs to wait outside with the rest of the pack," Sam told me sternly.

"No!" I cried, wrapping myself completely around Jake.

"I can't leave her, Sam," Jake panted, trying to regain his breath.

Sam frowned down at the both of us, obviously annoyed at having his orders disobeyed.

"She's my imprint," Jake continued.

Sam's eyes went wide as he stared fixedly at me. I glared back at him, daring him to say something negative.

"That's not possible. It would've happened a week ago," Sam mumbled, still staring at me.

"I know. Billy says it's because she was still holding on to Edward," Jake informed him.

Sam grimaced at the name as it shook himself out of his shocked state.

"That changes things. You can stay, Jake," Sam accepted.

"Gee, thanks," Jake snorted, relaxing his hold on me.

I refused to allow him to let go of me, though, and pulled him completely onto the bed with me. He was a little too tall of the hospital bed, but he managed well enough. I knew he'd deal with worse things in order to have me in his arms.

"Now, about what just happened. Bella is in an extremely vulnerable state. Her Omega abilities are tapping into everyone's emotions. Or, at least, the pack's emotions. When you panicked over Seth, she was set off. When the pack heard her heart rate increase, they started panicking, adding to her anxiety. Everyone is going to have to be careful for a while. Until you regain your strength, Bella, you're going to be affected by every emotion the pack feels more strongly. Your shield will take longer to bring down and put up. The only thing that won't be affected is your healing abilities. Those only grow stronger with use. You're just going to have to take it easy for a few days while you regain energy from healing Leah's soul," Sam explained.

_Where is Leah?_ I asked them.

"She's in the waiting room. She wasn't sure if you would want to see her," Sam answered, frowning slightly.

_I want to,_ I told him.

He nodded and left the room. Jake relaxed beside me and kissed my hair.

"I love you," he whispered.

_Love you, too,_ I thought sleepily.

"Close your eyes and relax, honey. Leah's not going anywhere," Jake encouraged me.

I sighed and snuggled against his chest, intending to only rest my eyes till Leah came in. The sound of Jake's steady heartbeat ended up lulling me to sleep before Leah arrived.

* * *

I woke up later to hear Jake talking to Charlie.

"She needs to see her, Charlie. Before she fell asleep, she asked to see her," Jake was saying.

"I don't care. I don't want that girl anywhere near Bella. She should be locked up," Charlie rumbled.

"Charlie, Bella jumped after her to save her life. She needs to see that Leah's okay," Jake insisted.

"No. I don't want her here," Charlie huffed.

"But-"

"I said no, Jacob. Don't forget, I can see that you aren't allowed in here either," Charlie warned.

Jake growled and I heard a chair scrape against the floor.

"It would take a lot more than a few doors and hospital staff to keep me away from Bella, sir," Jake thundered.

I moaned, reaching for his hand. I sighed happily as I felt his warmth envelope my cold hand. I squeezed it and tugged him onto the bed.

"Bells? Come on, honey. Wake up," Jake persuaded.

I opened my eyes and was rewarded with a smiling Jake looking back at me.

"Hey. Some one is waiting to see you," Jake murmured.

"No, Jacob. She's not to come in here," Charlie snapped.

"I think that's Bella's decision," Jake glared.

"I want to see her," I whispered hoarsely.

"I'll go get her," Jake grinned.

"Jacob-" Charlie started.

"Dad, stop. I want to see her. Me being here is not her fault, okay? Just, let it go," I pleaded.

Charlie didn't look happy about it, but gave a stiff nod.

"Good. Now, when she comes back in here, you need to take Jake up to the cafeteria or something. He needs a break from Bella Bed Watch," I teased.

"Sure thing, kid," Charlie agreed, laughing softly.

The door opened and Jake led Leah into the room. He walked over and took hold of my hand again while Leah stayed close to the door, looking down at her feet. I gave Charlie a pointed look.

"Hey, Jake. Why don't you and I go upstairs and grab a bite to eat. I'm sure Leah can handle Bella for a little while," Charlie offered.

Jake frowned at Charlie and then looked at me. I gave him a quick nod.

"Sure, Charlie. I could always eat," Jake sighed, following him out of the room.

Once the door shut behind them, I looked at Leah. She looked better than she had three days ago. Her face wasn't as pained and her shoulders were more relaxed. As soon as Jake and Charlie left, she looked up and met my gaze. I gave her a reassuring smile and motioned for her to sit in Jake's seat. She slowly walked over to stand beside my bed.

"Bella… I just… I guess… I wanted to say I'm sorry. I know that doesn't make up for what happened, but I am. I was, and still kinda am, screwed up. I couldn't handle being inside Sam's head and hearing all his thoughts about how much he loved Emily. And what made it worse was that he still loves me, too.

"But that doesn't make what I did right. You were right, Bella. I have so many people to live for. It just took a little Omega power to help me realize it," Leah smiled sadly.

"I forgive you, Leah. I forgave you before you even jumped. It wasn't your fault. Things happen. If you're willing, I'd love to help you work through the rest of your pain. I know I got you started, but I can feel you still have a ways to go. And I promise, no using my Omega abilities," I laughed, hoping she'd take me up on the offer.

"I'd like that," Leah admitted.

"Good. Now, tell me what's going on in the outside world. Jake and Charlie haven't left the hospital yet and no one else is allowed in cause Jake would totally flip on them," I giggled.

"Yeah, I heard about that. Congratulations on the imprint," Leah said.

"Thank you. It'll happen for you, too, Leah. I can feel it. And it's going to completely change you, for the better," I assured her.

"I hope so," Leah sighed.

"Trust me. Now, dish on all the happenings of the outside world!" I commanded, using my best Sam-Alpha imitation.

Leah laughed and began regaling me with a story about how Paul and Quil had gotten into a huge fight, resulting in both of them phasing at First Beach. Sam had refused to go get them clothes and they couldn't exactly walk back to their homes as wolves. They'd been forced to hide until nightfall when they could sneak back into their homes for more clothes. She told me how Quil had been caught by his mom, coming through the back door completely naked. I was laughing uncontrollably at this point, imagining the look on Quil's face.

Leah was laughing with me and it was nice to see her loosening up a bit. I was hoping that with a little time, I'd be able to get her to completely open up to me about how she felt about Sam and Emily. The only way for her to heal completely was for her to talk it out and work her way through all the pain.

* * *

Two days after I woke up, the doctors cleared me to leave the hospital. I was finally going home.

Charlie came with the cruiser to pick me up. He was obviously still concerned about my health because I wasn't even allowed to get out of the wheelchair without his help. I was extremely uncomfortable with all the attention he way paying me. He asked me if I was okay at least eight times before we made it to the house. Every time, I replied that I was fine and he would go back to staring at the road, sneaking glances at me every so often when he thought I wouldn't notice.

I was so glad to be home. The moment we pulled into the driveway, I heaved a huge sigh of relief. I would finally be able to relax and get back into my routine. I had missed cooking for Charlie and seeing La Push. Of course, tomorrow, I'd be back in school. I'd already missed the first two days after Spring Break. Those were going to be fun to make up.

I opened my door and moved to get out, but Charlie was already there, grabbing me by the elbow and helping. I rolled my eyes when he wasn't looking and started making my way towards the stairs. Charlie was right behind me, probably waiting for me to fall.

"Dad, I'm fine, alright. Just chill out," I grumbled, opening the door.

I flipped on the lights and looked around at the house. It felt off. Something wasn't quite right.

"Did you do anything different while I was in the hospital?" I asked as Charlie made his way in behind me.

"No. I barely came home at all," Charlie grunted, falling into his recliner.

I looked around the living room, kitchen, and hallway, but I couldn't place my wary feeling.

"I'm going upstairs. I'll be done in a bit to start dinner," I offered, walking up the stairs.

Charlie just grunted again from his chair, flipping on the TV.

I walked into my room and frowned at the walls and floor. Nothing looked different, but I still felt funny. Maybe it was just my Omega abilities trying to come back into play.

Knowing I should probably call Sam and have one of the wolves come over, I reached over and picked up the phone. Emily answered after three rings.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Emily. It's Bella. Is Sam around?" I asked, twirling the cord around my fingers.

"Oh, sure, Bella. Hold on. He's right here," Emily chirped, handing off the phone.

"Bella?" Sam asked, his voice crackling over the phone.

"Hey, Sam. Listen, could you send one of the pack over here? Something doesn't feel right and I want to know if there's been anything snooping around," I huffed, shifting my feet a little.

"We'll be right there," Sam said.

"Thanks, Sam," I smiled.

The line went dead and I placed the phone back in it's cradle. I knew it wouldn't take them long to get here, so I walked back downstairs and into the kitchen. Charlie was watching some game on the television and the announcer was screaming about the score.

I was boiling water for spaghetti when there was a pounding on the door. Charlie jumped in his chair and I yelped, dropping the box of noodles I was holding.

"What the hell?" Charlie grumbled, stomping to the door.

He wretched it open and took a step back.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Charlie snapped.

I walked over to the door and looked over Charlie's shoulder. I gasped and backed away quickly.

"Hello, Bella."

* * *

**Hahaha! Cliffhanger!! I am so evil!! Alright, so question!! Should Charlie find out about the wolves and vampires? Hmmm? Let me know, cause I'm really leaning towards telling him!**

**You guys have been totally awesome with the reviews!! My inbox is being completely flooded with them!! Hugs and kisses for everybody!!**


	8. Chapter 8: Telling Charlie

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Eight

There was a vampire on my front porch. There was a vampire near Charlie. There was a vampire who knew my name on my front porch near Charlie!

I didn't know who he was, but I would recognize those red eyes anywhere. He had short curling hair that was the color of wet sand. His tanned skin looked odd mixed with his chalky complexion. I knew that if I touched his skin, it would be colder than death.

"I do apologize for knocking so loud. I was in a hurry to see Bella," the vampire said.

"Who are you?" Charlie asked, glaring at him.

"Afton. I am a… friend of the Cullen's. They asked me to come by and check on her," Afton smiled.

Charlie continued to glare at him. I was trying to control my shaking, but failing miserably. I had noticed the pause and I was pretty sure the Cullen's wouldn't be friends with a human drinker.

"Well, you've seen her. Now get going. And tell them not to worry about Bella anymore. She's no longer their concern," Charlie rumbled.

"Of course. Do you mind stepping outside with me for a moment, Bella? I have some things I need to discuss with you," Afton asked politely.

I knew it wasn't a request. If I even dared to say no, he would attack and drag me from the house, probably killing Charlie in the process.

"S-sure. Um, Dad, if one of the guys comes, tell them I went for a walk," I mumbled, walking past him.

"Bella, I don't want you going anywhere with this guy. I don't trust him," Charlie frowned.

"It's okay, Dad. Carlisle told me about him. He won't hurt me," I tried to convince him.

Charlie continued frowning, staring at Afton's odd colored eyes. I bit my lip, hoping he would just let me go.

"Alright. Not too far, though. She just got out of the hospital," Charlie groused, slumping a little.

"Of couse," Afton bowed slightly.

I walked outside and he took hold of my hand, a little too tightly. He wasn't going to take any chances with me escaping. He led me away from the house and towards the woods. He walked as though he had a specific spot in mind. I followed helplessly, hoping the guys had made it to the house by now and knew what was going on.

I was suddenly jerked to a stop.

"Ah, Bella. You smell as delicious as he said you would," Afton sighed, smiling.

"Wh-what do you want with me?" I asked.

"Well, now, it's not what I want. It's what Aro wants," Afton corrected.

"Who's Aro?" I asked.

"The leader of the Volturi. Didn't your precious Edward tell you?" Afton laughed.

I shook my head.

"Of course he didn't. Wouldn't want to scare his little play thing," Afton cooed.

"What do you want?" I asked again, my voice getting stronger.

"Ah, yes. You see, Bella, humans are not to know about us. Those that find out have to be taken care of. Your Edward has refused to turn you, so Aro must decide what to do with you. He will either kill you or turn you. But, as I said, Edward is fighting him. Apparently, he thought you were dead. Otherwise, he never would have come to us for neutralizing," Afton explained.

Nothing he was saying made any sense to me. They were going to kill me or make me a vampire? Why? Just because I knew what they were? But, I was an Omega. That meant it was okay if I knew, right?

I could feel the pack as they moved through the trees. They were coming closer. Jake was in the lead, letting our imprint tell him where to go.

"I'm not human," I told him as the pack began closing in.

Afton looked at me in shock for a moment or two and then threw back his head and laughed.

"Oh, my, Bella! That was rich. Tell me, if you aren't human, what are you?" Afton asked, his eyes still laughing.

They were close. Just a few more yards. I was surprise Afton didn't hear or see them.

"Omega," I whispered.

The trees were suddenly alive as four wolves flew out at the vampire. I stumbled back against a tree, breathing heavily. A light grey wolf came to stand before me. I knew it was Leah. She was the only girl, after all. The others were Sam, Jake, and Seth. I wondered briefly where Paul, Jared, Embry, and Quil were.

Leah's back was to me and she was watching the fight. She growled with the pack as they ripped the vampire apart. I clutched her fur, leaning against her as the tearing continued. I buried my head into her shoulder blades, wishing I could drown out the sound.

I felt one of them phase and then there was the sound of fire and a sickly sweet smell in the air. Leah whined beneath me and shifted. I looked up to see Sam was the one who'd phased. He was standing there, staring at the flames.

Jake and Seth followed his example and phased back. Jake was by my side in an instant, wrapping his arms around me and holding me close.

"God, Bella! What the hell were you thinking?" Jake moaned, burrowing into my hair.

"That I didn't want that thing to kill Charlie," I gasped, holding onto him just as tight.

Jake didn't have a response to that. He just held me tighter. I understood completely. His emotions were flowing directly from him into me and it was causing me to feel both of our pain and worry.

"Jake, please. Just, take a deep breath," I panted, struggling under the force of everyone's emotions.

He took in a breath and let it out forcefully. I felt his panic reside and was able to get a hold of my own emotions. Everyone else was still pumped up on adrenaline, but I found myself blocking them out. My shield was safely back up, protecting my thoughts and feelings.

"We'd better get you back. Charlie was not happy when we got there," Jake sighed.

I nodded against his chest. He bent down and picked me up bridal style. I clung to his neck as he walked back through the trees. We were soon surrounded by the others. Seth bounced up beside Jake.

"Wow, Bella! That was so cool! I like having you around. Do you think any other vampires will come and want to kill you?" Seth asked, overly excited.

"I hope not, Seth," I answered, unable to keep the laughter out of my voice.

"What did he want, Bella?" Sam asked, coming closer.

"He said something about the Volturi wanting me, who ever they are. Apparently, Edward thought I was dead. He went to them and they found out about me. I'm not supposed to know about vampires because I'm human. I had just told him I was an Omega when you guys came tearing out of the trees," I explained.

"Do you think he came alone?" Sam asked.

"How should I know?" I scoffed.

"Sam," Jake warned.

Sam looked at Jake and backed off. I snuggled into his chest, placing a kiss above his heart in silent thank you. He returned it with a kiss on top of my head. I smiled and closed my eyes, enjoying having him close to me.

"Where are the others?" I asked sleepily.

"Around your place. We weren't sure what was going on, so just to be safe, we wanted them here for Charlie," Jake answered.

"Thanks," I murmured.

Jake tightened his hold on me as he climbed the steps to the house. Sam opened the door and the four of them walked in. Charlie was standing by the living room doorway, obviously pissed. I pushed against Jake's chest and he set me down on my feet.

"Dad, I can explain," I started.

"I would love to hear it," Charlie snorted.

"He knows the Cullens. Edward was worried about me and sent him to check up on me," I made up on the spot.

"Why would he care?" Charlie snapped.

I flinched at his tone and what his words implied; that I wasn't worth caring about. Charlie noticed and he seemed to deflate. His eyes turned sad and he reached out to hug me awkwardly.

"Sorry, Bells. I didn't mean it like that," Charlie sighed.

"S'Okay, Dad. You're right. He shouldn't have cared. I don't know why he sent Afton," I agreed.

"He won't be coming back, Charlie. That's what's important," Jake assured him.

"What'd you do to him?" Charlie asked suspiciously.

"Dad, he was… um… you were right not to trust him," I mumbled, staring down at my shoes.

"What did he do to you, Bella?" Charlie nearly shouted, grabbing my shoulders.

"Easy, there," Sam murmured softly.

I looked over at Jake to see him glaring at Charlie, his lips pulled back in a silent growl. He was trembling slightly and I knew I had to calm Charlie down before Jake phased right in our hallway and attacked.

"Nothing, Dad. He just threatened me. Sam, Jake, and Seth took care of it. Don't worry," I promised him.

"Roughed him up a bit?" Charlie asked Sam.

Sam nodded once, a satisfied look in his eye. Charlie gave him the same nod before letting me go. Jake's hand was instantly wrapped around my wrist and pulling me against him, away from Charlie. Charlie was looking at the two of us, confused.

I started worrying. Charlie was intuitive. He was bound to figure that something was up. I glanced at Sam in alarm, letting him feel what I was feeling. Sam stiffened and watched Charlie closer. Charlie was still focused on Jake and I.

One of Jake's hands came up and brushed against my hair. I could tell he'd felt what I'd sent Sam. I wondered if Leah and Seth had felt it too. I really needed to work on sending thoughts and emotions to the right person.

"Bella? What's going on?" Charlie finally asked.

"What do you mean?" I hedged.

"You know exactly what I mean, young lady," Charlie glared, crossing his arms.

_What do I do?_ I thought to Sam frantically.

"Charlie, there are some things we can't tell you. You just have to trust us that everything is fine," Sam interceded.

"Damn it, tell me what's going on, now!" Charlie shouted.

I flinched back against Jake. He moved to stand in front of me.

"Leah, get her out of here," Sam instructed.

Leah nodded and grabbed hold of my hand. She pulled me from the house, not giving me a choice. Seth followed, blocking my view.

"No! Wait! What are they going to do?" I asked, tugging against her.

"Nothing bad, Bella. Calm down. They're going to call Billy and have him talk to Charlie," Leah soothed.

"They're going to tell him?" I screeched, stopping dead in my tracks.

"Well, it's going to be hard keeping it from him. After all, you are a part of the pack now. If we need you, we can't have him wondering what's going on. This way, he'll know your position in the pack and won't try to keep you at home when we need you," Leah explained.

"But… Oh, alright," I grumbled.

Leah stopped at my truck and leaned against it. Seth walked around and pulled the tailgate down. He and I hopped up to sit there, swinging our legs.

"Soooo… you and Jake, huh?" Seth grinned.

"Shut up, Seth!" I laughed, shoving him.

"What? I think it's great!" Seth argued.

"Oh, really?" I asked, smiling.

"Yeah. You two are great together. Plus, apparently Jake was a really bum to be around before. Not so much anymore. Now, we just have to deal with all the lovey-dovey thoughts he has about you," Seth gagged.

I laughed and shoved at him again. Leah was smiling, keeping her eyes on the house. I figured she was listening for any trouble.

Suddenly, Seth stopped laughing and was facing the trees on the other side of the truck, growling softly. Leah spun in that direction as well, her eyes scanning the trees.

"Cool it, Seth. It's just us," Paul grumbled, walking out.

He was followed by the rest of the pack.

"What happened?" Leah asked.

"We picked up another scent near the one you guys caught, but it disappeared near the beach. We weren't able to follow," Jared said, rubbing his face.

"We were able to tell it was a female," Embry inserted.

"Not Victoria, though," Jared continued.

"Jake's gonna be pissed," Seth groaned, leaning back.

"And you think Sam won't be?" Paul huffed, leaning against my truck.

"I can't believe we missed all the action," Quil whined, plopping down next to me on the tailgate.

"Don't worry. With Bella around, there'll be more," Seth teased.

"Seth!" I cried, taking a swing at his legs.

He jumped to avoid them, laughing all the while.

"Where's Sam and Jake?" Embry asked.

"Inside with Charlie. He got suspicious. They called Billy and he's setting up a bonfire tonight so the legends can be told. Charlie's not buying it," Leah sighed.

I frowned and looked towards the house. I concentrated and pushed my thoughts to Jake.

_How's it going in there?_ I asked.

_Not good. Charlie's looking a little red,_ Jake answered, showing me what he meant.

Charlie was talking on the phone, obviously to Billy, and his face was turning from pale to red to purple.

_Jeeze, Jake. Get him to calm down!_ I insisted, moving to stand up.

_Billy's handling it, honey. You just stay outside. I don't want you around him right now,_ Jake said.

I struggled with my desire to help my father and the knowledge that Jake would flip out if I was around Charlie right now.

_Alright,_ I agreed, sinking back to the tailgate.

_I love you. I'll be out as soon as I can,_ Jake promised.

_I love you, too,_ I answered, smiling a little.

I severed the link and looked at the pack.

They were all watching the house, their heads tilted as if listening to something far away. I smiled at the picture they made. It was clear the wolf-half was seeping into their human-half. The way they were listening was just like a dog.

"Alright, you dogs, stop eavesdropping," I teased.

"Who you calling a dog?" Paul snapped, giving me a mock glare.

"You, dog breath!" I shouted, hopping off the truck.

"You are so going down," Quil mock growled.

I laughed and took off running around the yard, the pack right behind me. I was tackled to the ground, my face pressed into the dirt.

"Get off me, Paul!" I shouted in between fits of laughter.

"Apologize first," Paul taunted.

"NEVER!" I yelled, thrashing my arms and legs.

"Say sorry!" Paul laughed.

"NO!" I barked, still struggling.

"Oh, Bella. Jake will be so disappointed if something were to happen to you. Don't make us hurt you," Paul mock threatened.

"Ha! _You'll_ be sorry if Jake hears you threatening me!" I pointed out.

Paul went quiet.

"He never has to know," Paul murmured in a loud voice.

I was still laughing throughout this exchange and my sides were starting to hurt.

"Alright! Alright! I'm sorry I called you a dog!" I screamed as Paul began tickling my sides.

"Aaaahhh. Music to my ears," Paul sighed, rolling off me.

"You. Are. Evil!" I panted, rolling onto my back.

"Really, Paul. You're lucky Jake didn't see that. Looked a little suggestive," Jared teased.

"Yeah, right! Damn, Jared! She's his imprint. I'd never," Paul growled.

"Chill out, Paul. He was just joking," Leah snapped.

"Butt out, Leah," Paul warned.

"Alright, everybody calm down," I insisted, moving between them all.

The air was instantly still. The tension that had been flowing between Leah and Paul faded and it was quiet. I breathed a sigh of relief and flopped back down on the grass. Without warning, everyone turned to the house and Leah moved to stand closer to me.

"OUT! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!"

I sat up, looking at the door. Sam and Jake hurried out, Charlie behind them, waving his gun.

"DAD!" I screamed, standing up and moving towards him.

Jake caught me around my waist and pushed me back.

"No, Bella! Not now," Jake said.

"Jake, he's my dad!" I cried, fighting against his hold.

"ISABELLA MARIE SWAN! GET IN THIS HOUSE THIS INSTANT!" Charlie roared from the doorway.

"Let me go, Jake," I demanded, pushing against his arms.

Jake growled and held me tighter.

"Let her go, Jacob," Sam ordered, pulling on his arms.

Jake dropped his hold and I ran into the house. Charlie grabbed my arm and yanked my inside, slamming the door behind me. He locked all the locks before turning to me.

"Explain," Charlie commanded, his voice low and dangerous.

"Dad, just calm down, okay? It's all going to be okay," I promised.

"Okay? You think this is okay? Bella, this is far from okay. Do you have any idea what those _things_ are?" Charlie asked.

"DAD! They're not any different than they were yesterday! So what if they turn into wolves! If it wasn't for them, you and I would both be dead right now!" I shrieked at him.

Charlie just stared at me, his eyes wide.

"That's right! They saved our sorry asses from getting killed by a vampire. That guy who came here today was a vampire. He was going to kill you and kidnap me. If it wasn't for the pack, he would have!" I informed him loudly.

"Bells… I didn't… They didn't tell me…" Charlie stammered.

"Probably because you wouldn't let them! You probably just charged right in with accusations," I accused.

Charlie looked down at his feet, ashamed.

"Look, Dad. It's not all that bad. Really. Jake loves me so much. More than you can even imagine. This is a good thing. He'll never, ever leave me," I whispered.

"Yeah. Billy told me you are his imprint? What the heck is that?" Charlie asked, his anger gone.

I smiled at him. He was willing to give this a try. I threw my arms around his neck and squeezed. He staggered back, surprised, but wrapped his arms around me, too.

"I love you, Dad," I sniffled.

"Love you, too, Bells," Charlie replied gruffly.

I pulled away from him and continued smiling.

"I really think we should go to the bonfire tonight. Billy can tell you all the legends. He's much better at it than I am. Plus, it'll show everyone you're not angry anymore and they won't have to hide from your gun," I teased.

Charlie grunted, but gave me a small smile.

Everything was going to be fine, now.

* * *

I was sitting in between Jake's legs at the bonfire. Charlie was sitting beside us, watching and listening to Billy with an awed expression on his face. Every once and a while, he would glance down at me in disbelief. I just kept giving him reassuring smiles and patting his leg. He'd get used to everything, I was sure.

When we'd first arrived, he'd glared at Jake. I really couldn't blame him seeing as Jake came running up to me and lifted me into his arms, giving me one of the hottest kisses I'd ever had. It had been clear he'd been worried about what Charlie was going to do about the two of us. He'd caught on pretty quick, though, and had been good for the rest of the night.

I smiled remembering him offering to show Charlie his wolf form. Charlie had paled and shaken his head, clearly uncomfortable.

Billy was getting to the important part for me and Charlie; the legend of the Omega. I had told Charlie that I held a special position in the pack structure, but hadn't explained further. I had told him to pay special attention to the legend of the Omega tonight. I noticed him leaning forward out of the corner of my eye. I hoped he'd take it well.

Billy began the same story he'd told all of us over a week ago about the first Omega. Charlie was completely enraptured, hanging on Billy's every word. When Billy came to the part about a new Omega for the current pack, Charlie snapped to attention. He glanced down at me, his eyes wide. I gave a slight nod and Charlie turned his attention back to Billy.

When Billy had finished, everyone started talking and breaking off into groups. Charlie was staring at the flames. I waited for him to say something, but he just continued watching the fire. I looked up at Jake and he was watching Charlie as well.

"Dad?" I asked, looking back at him.

Charlie jumped and looked at him, surprised, almost like he'd forgotten we were there.

"Sorry. Just… a lot to take in," Charlie sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

"I understand. It's okay. It was a lot for me, too. And I already knew about vampires," I smiled.

Charlie closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. I knew this was going to be hard on him, but he was tough. He'd pull through it.

"Alright. I'm good," Charlie nodded, standing up and walking over to Billy.

I figured the two of them would be talking late into the night. Charlie no doubt had a ton of questions and Billy was just the person to answer them. I leaned against Jake, relief coursing through me.

"I love you," Jake murmured, kissing my neck.

"I love you, too," I sighed, tilting my head.

Jake smiled and rubbed his nose up and down the column of my throat. I shivered as he placed open mouthed kisses against my skin. He trailed his lips down to my collarbone, nipping it. I gasped and closed my eyes.

"Jake. Our dads are less than twenty feet away. You shouldn't be doing this," I warned softly.

"Mmm. They'd better get used to it. They're going to be watching it for quite some time," Jake chuckled.

His breath caused goose bumps to appear on my skin. He laughed again and placed one last kiss against my jaw before leaning back against the log we were sitting in front of.

Leah came over a second later, plopping down beside us.

"So, Bella, feeling better?" she asked.

"Yeah. I'm still tired. Billy thinks I'll be back to normal by the end of the week. Though, I have to admit, that run with Paul did not help any," I laughed softly.

"What run?" Jake asked, frowning.

"Paul decided to tackle your girl here after she called him a dog," Leah answered before I could shush her.

"Excuse me," Jake growled, standing up.

"You've done it now," I groaned, sinking against the log.

"PAUL!" Jake shouted, stalking over to him.

"Oh, come on. It's fun!" Leah insisted, smiling as Jake ran to catch Paul.

The two took off for the shoreline, laughing and howling. Seth, Quil, and Embry joined in on the fun. Jared and his imprint, Kim, were sitting with Sam and Emily, talking amongst themselves. Harry, Billy, Old Quil, and Charlie were sitting together, no doubt talking about the pack. Sue was sitting with Quil's mother, Diana, close to the Elders, listening in on the conversation.

Leah laughed beside me and I looked to see Paul walking out of the ocean, completely soaked. I laughed with her as I saw him run up behind Jake and tackle him to the ground.

This was home. Everyone I cared about in one place. I knew we should be worried about the other vampire and there was still Victoria to deal with, but right now, everything was perfect.

* * *

**Come on, guys! You really didn't think I'd leave a cliffhanger for you, did you? And what's up with everyone thinking it was going to be Edward or a Cullen? Do I really come off as that unoriginal?!? I sincerely hope not!!**

**You guys rock so much!! I had a ton of reviews within an hour of posting!! I came back from class and had thirty some emails from FanFiction. I really hope this chapter was up to par. I tried to make it a little longer since the one before was so short. Hope you enjoyed!!**

**Unfortunately, I won't be able to post again for a few days. I just found out that my friend's mom passed away. I'm going home for the funeral, but I don't know when I'll be leaving, which means I have to be ready to go whenever. Anyway, I won't have much time to write, but I'll try to get something up on Sunday for you guys, cause you all totally deserve it!! See you next chapter!!**


	9. Chapter 9: Grease Monkey

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Nine

My first day back at school was incredibly stressful. Jessica wasn't talking to me; she was hanging out with some Lauren girl who obviously didn't like me. Mike was trying to be protective best guy friend or something like that and followed me around everywhere. Tyler was constantly hanging around, trying to convince me that I wanted to go out with him on Friday. It was a constant headache.

Angela and Ben gave me my only reprieve. Neither one of them bothered me with information and just allowed me to sit with them at lunch. We talked about the usual stuff. What they were doing this weekend. What I was doing this weekend. Who was dating who. Just the usual gossip.

After lunch, I made my way to AP Biology. The absence of pain was surprising at first. I was so used to dreading Biology class because it's where Edward and I had first met. It had been difficult sitting next to his empty chair every day, but today I found myself wishing the class would end for a different reason.

I wanted to see Jake. I was missing him like crazy. There was a burning ache in my chest that had been there since late morning and was only getting worse. I would find myself rubbing my chest, trying to ease the ache, only to get odd stares from people. I was kind of used to them by now. After all, I'm the freaky girl who fell apart when he boyfriend dumped her and left without a second glance.

Biology and Gym took forever to get through. Maybe it's because I was watching the clock. Or maybe it was because I'd already learned everything in Biology and Gym was my least favorite subject. Or maybe some force was purposely slowing down time, enjoying my suffering.

At any rate, when that final bell rang, I was out of the school in no time.

My burnt orange truck hailed to me from across the parking lot and I hurried towards it. All the other students around me were taking their time, in no hurry to get home or to work or where ever it was they went after school. As I climbed into my truck, some one's shadow fell over me. I looked up to see Mike leaning against the side of my truck right beside the open door.

"Hi, Bella," Mike grinned.

"Hey, Mike. What's up?" I asked, a little irritated at being delayed further.

"Listen, I know you already told me you can't go out this Friday, but I refuse to accept your excuse of you have 'homework'. I mean, you have the whole weekend to do homework. Go out with me Friday. We'll see a movie and do dinner. It'll be fun," Mike tried to persuade me.

I sighed and glanced around the parking lot, hoping to see some form of escape.

"Look, Mike, it's not that I don't want to hang out with you. It's just, I have a boyfriend, okay?" I told him, wincing slightly as I did.

I really didn't want it getting around school. Not because I was ashamed to be with Jake, but because it would cause unwanted attention to be placed on me again.

"Oh. Okay, then. Um… who is it?" Mike asked, still trying to be friendly.

"Jacob Black," I answered, fiddling with my truck key.

"The kid from the Reservation? Bella, you've got to be kidding me! He's, like, what? Fourteen?" Mike laughed.

"He's sixteen. And, no, I am not kidding you," I growled, glaring up at him.

"Whoa, easy there, Bella. I was just teasing. No, seriously, I think it's great that the two of you are together," Mike smirked.

"Yeah, thanks, Mike," I scoffed, rolling my eyes.

"Really, Bella. I'm happy you finally moved on from Cullen. He wasn't good for you," Mike frowned, suddenly serious.

I looked up at him and felt bad for thinking such mean things about him. Mike wasn't really so bad. He just didn't know when to give up.

"Thanks, Mike. Believe me, Jake is much better," I assured him with a smile.

"He better be. Otherwise me and the guys might have to go rough him up," Mike teased, slamming his fist into his palm.

I laughed at the picture that made. Mike, Eric, Tyler, and Ben going up to Jake, Quil, and Embry was just too hilarious. I was doubled over from laughter as Mike started to punch the air, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"I don't think you'll have to worry about that," I wheezed, trying to catch my breath.

Mike stopped moving and smiled at me.

"It's good to hear you laughing again, Bella," Mike said.

I blushed and tucked some hair behind my ear, looking at the ground.

"See you tomorrow," Mike called, heading over to his car.

I looked after him and saw Tyler and Eric standing around waiting for him. I groaned and leaned back against my seat, realizing the entire school would know about me and Jake by tomorrow morning.

I reached out and pulled my door shut, turning the key in the ignition as I did. The truck roared to life, shuddering in protest. I smiled as I eased her out of the parking spot, thinking about Jake. The ache in my chest throbbed a little and I pushed down harder on the gas pedal.

It took me about thirty minutes to get to La Push. Throughout the drive, I caught glimpses of brown fur running alongside my truck. I had honked at Jared once, waving out the window, letting him know I knew he was there. Once I crossed the border, he disappeared from view, probably going home to see Kim. He'd been on Bella Watch all day and was, no doubt, eager to see her.

When I pulled into the driveway, I wasn't surprised to see Jake standing on his front porch. He smiled when I came to a stop and before I could even cut off the engine, he was opening my door.

"What are you doing here? I wasn't expecting to see you until tonight," Jake smiled, pulling me into a hug.

"That would've been way too long. I've missed you all day. I couldn't go another hour without seeing you," I mumbled, burying my head into his chest.

His hand rubbed slow circles up and down my back.

"I'm sorry. I forgot to tell you about that. I didn't think it was going to be that bad," Jake sighed, resting his cheek against the top of my head.

"What is it?" I asked, leaning away to look up at him.

"The imprint bond. It makes it hard to be away from each other. It's nearly impossible for me to go even a day without seeing you. Sam tried it once with Emily and… I can't even explain to you the pain it brought him," Jake choked out, obviously hurting at the thought of going through that.

"Well, lucky for us, you don't have to. I'm gonna make sure you see me every day for the rest of your life!" I teased, trying to ease the pain from his face.

It worked. He gave a little sigh and smiled down at me.

"You mean the rest of our lives. When you go, so do I," Jake told me.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"When I imprinted on you, our souls became connected. One soul can't survive without the other. You and me, we're going out of this world together," Jake answered, kissing my hair.

I smiled at the thought. Most people were afraid of death, but with Jake by my side, death didn't seem so scary.

"I like the sound of that," I smiled, placing a kiss right above his heart.

He gave me a squeeze before stepping back and taking my hand.

"So, what did you want to do today?" Jake asked, leading me towards the house.

"Ugh. I actually have a ton of homework to do. Do you have any work to do in the garage?" I asked, wrinkling my nose.

"Yeah, actually. One of Charlie's buds at the station has a Cavalier that's been giving it him some trouble. I offered to take a look at it and see if I could fix it. I'm way cheaper than the mechanics in Port Angeles," Jake grinned, giving me a wink.

"Then let's go to the garage and I'll do my homework while you work on that," I offered, changing his direction.

"Sounds like a plan," Jake agreed, following me.

We walked into the garage and he flipped the lights on. I immediately made my way over to the torn out back seat, of some vehicle that had long since been removed, and plopped down, dropping my book bag at my feet. Jake went over to a green car that I assumed was the Cavalier and began looking around under the hood.

It was quiet for a while as I worked on Trigonometry homework. The only sound was Jake's tools as he worked on some piece of metal inside the car. I would occasionally glance up to see him bent over the car, frowning at the engine. He had grease marks on his face and his chest. I knew he shorts were likely covered in them as well. Sometimes, he would look up and find me watching him. When this happened, he'd flash me a smile causing me to blush and go back to my homework, grinning like an idiot.

By the time I had finished my homework, Jake was under the car with a flashlight, looking at the engine from underneath. I put all my books away before walking over to sit beside his feet. I absentmindedly scratched at his jean shorts, waiting for him to come out from under the car.

"Bells, you keep doing that and I'm going to cause this car to fall on top of me," Jake warned.

I could hear the smile in his voice and it made me smile too. All the same, I stopped scratching his jeans and simply sat there, staring at his legs. They were beautiful, as far as legs went. They looked to be sculpted from stone in an attempt to create an image of the Greek gods I had studied so much during the play writing phase of high school English. I figured if the sculptors from Ancient Rome had caught sight of my Jake, they would have been hounding him to pose for them so they could capture just the right body tone.

Even his feet were perfect feet for a god. Long and wide, but not large and duck-like, his feet were works of art. His toes were absolutely perfectly proportioned with just a sprinkling of hair across the two largest. The arc of his foot was perfectly smooth. I was tempted to reach out and trace my finger across it, but I withheld.

I stopped staring as he suddenly came out from under the car, frowning slightly. He sat beside me and sighed.

"So, what's the verdict, doc?" I asked.

"Looks like the piston rings are worn out. They'll have to be replaced. Plus, he needs new air and fuel filters. And he's due for an oil change," Jake informed me, wiping his hands off on his rag.

"Oh," I said, completely clueless.

Jake looked over at me and smiled. It was different than his usual smile. This one was tender and soft, like he was remembering just how much he loved me.

He started to lean down for a kiss, but I quickly evaded him. He frowned at me, looking hurt.

"I am not kissing the grease monster. You can go wash up, first," I giggled, scooting further away from him.

He suddenly grinned and started prowling towards me.

"Oh, come on, Bells. You don't like my grease marks?" Jake asked.

"On you, they look great. However, I don't think grease marks are really my style," I shrugged, trying not to laugh.

"I don't know. I think grease marks look hot on a girl," Jake growled, shooting me a sexy smirk.

"Hmm… Well, then, maybe you should just go look for a girl mechanic to be your girlfriend, because this one is not getting DIRTY! JACOB BLACK!" I screamed as he abruptly grabbed my feet and pulled me to him.

He was laughing maniacally as he trailed his hands down my arms and wiped his cheek against mine. I was gasping and struggling to push him off me, but he would have none of it. He pinned my arms to the ground and continued his assault.

"There. Now you're just as greasy as me," Jake smirked, obviously pleased with himself.

"Ugh! And we both reek!" I cried, wrinkling my nose.

"Mmm. No, you still smell delicious," Jake hummed, leaning down for a kiss.

I laughed as he placed his lips against mine briefly. We had grease all over our faces and I doubted either one of us wanted to taste it by getting into a hot and heavy make-out session right in the middle of his garage.

"There, you got your kiss. Now, get off me!" I demanded, shoving against his shoulder.

"It truly is sad that my girlfriend can deny me my wants so easily," Jake sighed, flopping over onto his back.

I snorted and rolled my eyes, rising to my feet.

"Come on, grease monkey. Let's go get cleaned up so I can start dinner," I sighed, offering him my hand.

"Dinner?" Jake perked up, looking excited.

"Uh, yeah. It's about that time, don't you think?" I asked sarcastically.

"Mmm. And you're going to cook for me. Oh, we'd better get you cleaned up fast!" Jake said, pulling me towards the house.

"I would've been able to start dinner right away if somebody hadn't seen it fit to get me all greasy," I reminded him.

Jake pouted and let a little whine escape his throat. I laughed and bumped him with my hip before moving ahead of him into the house. He followed right behind me and ushered me into the bathroom.

"Hurry up. I'll get some clothes for you," Jake assured me.

I laughed lightly as he closed the door. I turned to look at myself in the mirror and gasped. I looked awful! There were grease marks up and down my cheeks, across my forehead, on my nose, in my hair, and down my neck. My clothes would never be clean again. I only hoped that my face would.

I grumbled under my breath about boyfriends with evil intentions. I turned on the water and stepped in, rubbing my face furiously. The grease started washing down the drain as I scrubbed my hair and arms. I glared at the dark water, watching as it slowly turned clear. After it had stopped running black, I searched for something to wash my hair. The only shampoo was Suave for Men, Deep Cleansing. I opened the top and took a whiff, recognizing Jake's scent. I smiled, squeezing some of it into my hand and rubbing it in. Once it had rinsed out, I turned the water off and stepped out of the shower.

Sitting on the toilet seat was a large t-shirt and a towel. My jeans and t-shirt were gone. I smiled as I dried myself off, pulling on my underwear and bra afterwards. I held up his t-shirt, remembering the other one I had back home. I'd probably be stealing this one, too. I inhaled deeply, smelling him in every fiber. When I pulled it on, the bottom fell just below my knees. I did a quick rub of my hair with the towel before walking out of the bathroom.

Jake was leaning against the wall across from the door, waiting for me. He smiled when he saw me come out in his shirt.

"My turn," he cheered, sweeping past me.

"Keep it short. You're helping with dinner, tonight!" I called as the door closed behind him.

I walked towards the laundry room and threw my clothes into the wash. I walked back to the bathroom and heard the shower running. Without knocking, I opened the door and peeked inside. Seeing that Jake was in the shower, I opened it further and grabbed up his dirty shorts.

"Isabella Marie Swan! What are you doing in here while I'm in the shower?" Jake mock scolded.

"Getting your filthy shorts. And don't give me that. You snuck in here while I was in the shower," I glared at the curtain.

"True. But you didn't know. Now I've got all these naughty thoughts in my head about you sneaking in here to catch me naked," Jake sighed.

I felt the blush creep up my cheeks and huffed in indignation.

"Wow, Bells. I can feel your blush from over here!" Jake laughed, turning off the water.

Realizing he was about to step out of the shower completely naked, I ran from the room, slamming the door behind me. I could hear Jake laughing outrageously on the other side and felt my blush reach new heights of red.

"Everything all right down there?" Billy asked, wheeling into the hallway.

"Yeah. Jake's just being Jake," I assured him, moving into the laundry room.

"What'd the two of you do to get so dirty?" Billy asked, smiling as I began putting our clothes in the wash.

"Jake thought it would be fun to paint me with grease. Apparently, it ups his appeal for me," I shrugged, blushing a little more.

Billy just raised his eyebrows, clearly shocked at my statement. I pursed my lips and went back to the laundry. I heard him laughing as he wheeled his way back into the living room. I breathed a sigh of relief and moved from the laundry room to the kitchen.

Less than five minutes later, Jake was standing at my side, eager to assist with the meal.

"What can I do?"

"You are in charge of the steaks, because I don't trust myself with them," I answered, shoving the meat into his chest.

"Yum. Steaks. What are you fixing to go with them?" Jake asked.

"Salad, baked potatoes, and garlic bread. How's that sound?" I suggested.

"Perfect," Jake grinned, kissing me swiftly.

I smiled after him as he walked out the back door, the screen door slamming shut behind him. Once he was out of the house, I started working on the potatoes and garlic bread. After they were put in the oven, I started breaking apart the lettuce for the salad. I listened to the TV as Billy watched sports, shouting occasionally at a bad play or call.

Just as everything was finishing up inside, Jake came in with the steaks at the same time Billy called out to me.

"Bella. You're dad's here."

I peeked around the kitchen corner to see Charlie walk into the house five seconds later. I smiled and went to hug him.

"Hey, Dad. How was work?" I asked.

"Alright, I suppose. Sure am glad to be done, though," Charlie sighed, kicking off his shoes.

He had obviously been home to change because he was wearing a flannel shirt and jeans. He eyed me up and down and I was suddenly aware I only had Jake's t-shirt covering me. Charlie just shook his head and grunted. He sniffed the air appreciatively and gave me a smile.

"Smells good, Bells. When do we get to eat it?" Charlie asked.

"You're timing is perfect, Dad. Jake just brought in the steaks and everything else is done," I informed him.

"Finally!" Jake called from the kitchen.

"It's your own fault!" I reminded him, walking back into the kitchen.

Charlie and Billy followed behind, Billy informing Charlie of our little greasy mess. Charlie was laughing as we sat down at the Black's small kitchen table. From the story of Jake and I, Charlie moved on to the latest fishing story. Apparently, Billy and he had been drinking when Billy's line went taut. Billy thought he had a real big one from the force of his reeling. When the hook finally emerged from the water, all he had was an old boot. In his effort to throw the boot back into the water, he'd ended up losing his whole pole.

Jake and I were laughing uncontrollably as Billy glared at Charlie. The rest of the night passed with the two of them trying to embarrass the other more by telling awful fishing stories from their past. It was the perfect ending to outweigh the not so perfect start of the day.

* * *

The rest of the week passed in a similar manner, though without the grease marks. Everyday at school, I'd count down the hours until I'd be able to leave a see Jake again. And everyday the pain was just as bad as the first.

On Friday, the pain was worse and I was having difficulty concentrating on my work. At lunch, I went couldn't eat and instead, sat outside, resting my head against the table. I pushed through the barrier of my mind and searched for Jake's. He was surprised to feel me at first, but was instantly glad to know I was safe.

_Why wouldn't I be safe? What's going on? _I asked.

_We caught Victoria's scent again. She was close to the school,_ Jake answered.

_When was this?_ I asked, upset that they hadn't told me.

_About two hours ago,_ Jake said.

_Two hours ago? How do you know about it?_

_I'm on Bella Watch today,_ Jake chuckled, using my term for it.

_You're here?_ I gasped, looking around.

_Yep. Right across the street,_ Jake grinned.

_Why aren't you in school?_ I demanded.

It was quiet for a minute and I thought he'd severed our connection. Or that something had happened to him. I was about to get up and go look for him when he answered.

_Calm down, honey. Everything's fine. I just don't know how you're going to react to this, is all,_ Jake mumbled.

_What? What is it?_

_I dropped out of high school. I'm getting my GED instead,_ Jake told me.

I was in shock for a full five minutes. Jake just waited, letting me absorb this new information.

_Why?_ I finally asked.

_It was too much work juggling patrolling, school, sleep, homework, etc. Besides, it's not like the others aren't doing the same thing,_ Jake shrugged.

_Why didn't you tell me? _I asked, feeling hurt.

_I didn't know how you'd react. I didn't want you to get mad or be embarrassed. I'm sorry, honey. I should've told you sooner,_ Jake admitted.

I could see his head lowering and felt the regret that was crushing him.

_Just don't keep stuff like this from me. I love you. No matter what. And I'll always be proud to call you mine, _I smiled.

_I love you, too. Now, get to class. I'll see you at your truck after school,_ Jake promised, grinning like a fool.

I groaned and stood up as the bell rang, signaling it was time for Biology. I was dreading the thought of everyone seeing Jacob standing by my truck after school. I had no doubt that there would be plenty of stares and questions circulating.

_Don't worry, Bells. I'll give 'em a show for you,_ Jake laughed.

I had forgotten to close my mind off to him. I nearly ran into a door at the sound of his voice in my head. He laughed harder, reminding me to watch out for defenseless objects. I growled at him before severing the link on his continued laughter.

I was worried about what exactly Jake meant by "give 'em a show". It sounded ominous and I wasn't sure I wanted to walk outside when the final bell rang. When it finally did go off after Gym, I walked outside very slowly, hoping he was just trying to scare me.

No such luck.

When I walked outside, there was a motorcycle in the back of my truck and Jacob Black was leaning against it, dressed entirely in black, his arms folded across his chest. He had on dark sunglasses and was frowning at everyone, appearing incredibly foreboding. Students were staring as they walked past on their way to their own cars. I noticed Jessica and Lauren staring at him with obvious desire. Jake was ignoring everyone, searching the crowds for me. He finally caught sight of me and brought up one hand, crooking a finger at me to come towards him.

I glared at him, but walked forward. It was my truck after all.

"What the heck, Jake?" I hissed when I was close enough.

"You missed the first part," Jake murmured, still looking sinister.

"Oh, really?" I huffed, crossing my arms.

"Yeah. I came speeding into the parking lot and spun doughnuts behind your truck. It sure got everyone's attention," Jake smirked.

I rolled my eyes at him and opened my car door. His hand reached out and slammed it back shut.

"Ah, ah, ah. Not before you pay the toll," Jake teased, shaking his head.

I gritted me teeth and narrowed my eyes at him.

"What would that be?" I grated.

"A kiss," Jake grinned.

Before I could protest, he swooped me into his arms and was kissing me senseless. All my anger towards him disappeared as soon as his lips met mine. My hands that had been about to shove him away ended up grabbing fistfuls of his shirt to pull him closer. His arms wrapped around my waist, bending me to his body. I was pressed up completely against him and enjoying every sweet second of it.

His tongue shoved into my mouth, dominating every corner. He traced the edge of my teeth, then flicked his tongue against the roof of my mouth. He pulled my tongue into his mouth and sucked it, causing my knees to nearly give out. I moaned and pulled him closer, my hands moving to fist in his hair. He responded with a low growl in his chest.

He pulled back and began kissing his way down my jaw line. My head rolled back, giving him further access. His tongue darted out to taste my skin and he growled again at the shudder that worked through my body.

The sound of a throat clearing had me suddenly opening my eyes and noticing the audience we had. I shoved against Jake, but he refused to let go of me. He simply looked up at the person through his shades.

"Can we help you?" Jake asked.

I looked over to see Mike standing there with Tyler and Eric behind him. All three of them looked furious.

"Actually, you can. You can stop manhandling Bella here," Mike snapped, glaring at Jake.

Jake just grinned and pulled me closer.

"She seemed to like it," Jake said.

Mike bristled and I knew if I didn't step in, he'd do something stupid. Like try to hit Jake.

"Mike, it's okay. I'll handle him. Thanks for coming to my rescue," I smiled sweetly, laying a hand on his shoulder.

Mike looked at me for a long time, probably to see if I was being sincere. When he decided I was, he nodded and backed away from us.

Jake was laughing under his breath. I turned and glared at him.

"What?" he asked.

"That was so not cool, Jacob Black," I grumbled, letting my anger come back full force.

"Oh, come on, Bells. I told you I'd give them a show," Jake grinned.

"By making me look easy? Thanks a lot, you jerk!" I snarled, breaking out of his hold and climbing into my truck.

I slammed the door behind me. Jake was standing at the window, looking surprised and a little hurt. He had no idea what he was in for later.

"Get in," I ordered, still glaring.

Jake walked around the front of the truck and climbed in beside me, looking like a little kid who knew they'd done something wrong.

Seriously! Where the hell did he get off doing that to me in public?

We drove in silence for about five minutes before I was finally able to talk.

"If you ever, _ever_, get me going like that again in the middle of a crowd, I will _kill_ you," I warned.

"I had to lay claim to what is mine, Bells. I've heard what the guys are saying about you. That Newton kid asked you out at least five times this week," Jake growled, finding his own anger.

"I don't care about that! It's not fair to get me so worked up only to have to stop because we're in public," I glared.

Jake looked at me in absolute shock for all of two minutes. I waited for what I had said to sink in. As soon as it hit home what I was implying, he started laughing. I smiled and eased the truck into my driveway. When I cut the engine off, Jake leaned over and kissed me, reigniting the fire.

"Damn, I love you, Bells," Jake grinned, pulling away.

"You better. Especially after that show," I huffed, opening the door and hopping out.

Jake was by my side in an instant.

"I have the greatest girlfriend in the world," he said, throwing his arm around my shoulders.

I smiled up at him and let him feel just how amazing those words made me feel. He leaned down and kissed me one last time before we walked into the house, side by side.

* * *

**WE BROKE ONE HUNDRED!!! Oh my gosh!! You guys are FREAKING AMAZING!!!!! So amazing, that I just had to write you another chapter before this weekend!! Well, that, and I'm stuck at college for another night, so I had lots of free time to write it. Anyway, this is the first time any of my stories broke the one hundred chart!! I'm so excited!!! You guys are AWESOME!!! I really hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you next time!!! Lots of love!!!**

**P.S. Chapter Ten will be up either late Saturday night or Sunday afternoon EST.**


	10. Chapter 10: Paul's Mistake

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Ten

"You realize you and I need to have a talk, right?"

Jake and I were lying on my bed, homework was forgotten on the floor. His arm was wrapped around me and I was using his shoulder as a pillow while his other arm was supporting his head. I was tracing designs on the back of his hand as he watched.

"What do we need to talk about?" Jake asked.

"Well, two things now. One, Victoria. Two, school," I ticked off.

He shifted beneath me, uncomfortable with the topics I'd chosen. I waited for him to settle back down before pushing the subject.

"I don't care that you dropped out of school. The only thing that worries me is what you're going to do without your diploma," I frowned, biting my lip.

"I don't know what I'll be able to do. I'd like to start up my own garage, but it'd be difficult with the pack. There might be days when I'd have to close the shop without warning and that's not good for business," Jake explained.

"Makes sense," I agreed.

"I'm planning on talking to my dad and Sam about it some more. They'll help me figure something out," Jake assured me.

"Don't leave me out of that equation. I want to be there when you talk to them," I huffed.

He kissed the top of my head, moving his arm from behind his head to wrap around my waist.

"I had planned on you being there," he murmured, his lips still pressed against my hair.

"Good," I huffed.

We were quiet for a while, just breathing together.

"What about you? What are your plans after school? We've never talked about it," Jake mumbled.

I could hear the stress in his voice. He was worried about my plans. I smiled as his hold on me tightened. I was pretty sure he didn't even realize he'd done it. It was just his natural reaction to the thought of me leaving.

"I haven't thought much about it. I can't picture going to college, really," I confessed, scrunching my nose at the thought.

"What else is there?" Jake asked.

"Oh, I don't know. I could take online classes. Maybe go to a community college. Something along those lines," I shrugged.

"You- you would really do that?" Jake asked, clearing his throat.

"Sure. I mean, it's what everybody around here does, right? Nobody goes to college right out of the gate anymore," I smiled.

Jake didn't answer. I shifted around to I could look up at him. He was frowning at the ceiling. His thumb was rubbing against the exposed skin at the top of my jeans.

"What's wrong?" I sighed, shifting so we were eye level.

He turned to face me, still frowning.

"I don't want you staying here if it's not something you want to do," Jake said.

"Jake," I whined, exasperated.

"No. Just, let me finish," Jake insisted, putting a finger to my lips.

I pouted slightly, but remained silent. He leaned down and replaced his finger with his lips. I sighed and leaned closer, craving his heat. His lips barely brushed against mine once, twice, and a third time.

"I love you, Bella. That means I want what's best for you. If you want to go to college, or stay with your mom, or travel for a year, then that's what I want for you. Just because I can't go with you doesn't mean I want you giving up those experiences," Jake finished.

I blinked up at him and felt like crying. Jake was such a caring guy. He'd do anything to make sure I was happy. If I wanted something, all I had to do was tell him and he'd do everything in his power to get it for me. My heart ached just at the thought of his love for me.

"I don't deserve you," I sniffled, struggling not to cry.

"I'm the one who doesn't deserve you, honey. I didn't mean to make you cry," Jake frowned, wiping away a few tears that had escaped.

"I love you, Jacob Black. And I want to spend the rest of my life showing you just how much. That means no going away for a year, or a month, and maybe not even a week," I declared in my watery voice.

Jake flashed me my favorite smile and placed a kiss on my forehead. I closed my eyes as his scent invaded my senses. I clutched him tighter, loving having him this close, but needing him closer.

"I love you, Bells," Jake whispered, resting his chin on the top of my head.

We were quiet for a long time after that. I listened to his heartbeat, reveling in the sound. When I was with Edward, the absence of his heartbeat had never occurred to me. Only when I was lying with Jake, and I could actually hear the soft _thu-thump_, did I realize how much I loved hearing it. I traced designs over his heart, smiling when it picked up speed.

"Charlie's going to be home soon," Jake murmured roughly.

I sighed and stopped drawing on his skin. His arms tightened around me and he kissed my forehead again. I gave him a quick smile before rolling out of bed. He watched me, a possessive look in his eyes. I blushed self-consciously.

"What?" I asked, tucking hair behind my ear.

Jake sat up in the bed and pulled me between his legs. I swallowed as his hands moved up my arms and trailed down to my waist.

"You're beautiful," Jake grinned, his eyes heavy.

"You're not so bad yourself," I teased.

Jake laughed and released me. I took his hand and began backing away from the bed. He was forced to stand up in order to stay with me. I pulled him out the door and down stairs, intent on starting dinner.

"Are you staying tonight?" I asked, digging around in the fridge as he took his usual seat at the table.

"Only if you want me to," Jake answered.

"Of course, I do. You don't have patrols?" I asked.

"Not until early morning," Jake sighed.

I pulled out ground beef, deciding to make meatloaf. I gathered all the ingredients and set them up on the counter. As I began fixing dinner, Jake stayed in his chair, watching me.

"We still need to talk about Victoria," I reminded him hesitantly.

He sighed again and I knew he was probably rubbing his hand over his face. I turned in time to see the hand fall and smiled. My smile faded when I saw the look in his eyes. I turned to him fully, my hands covered in beef and eggs.

"What is it?" I asked, a little worried.

"We can't catch her. Every time we think we have her, she disappears. Every time we think she's going to strike, she pulls back. It's maddening," Jake grumbled, staring at his hands folded across his knees.

I watched him, unsure of what to say. 'Don't worry, honey. I don't mind getting killed by some psycho vampire chick'? I don't think so! I did mind, but I didn't want Jake agonizing over it. He shouldn't even know about all this stuff.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, looking at my messing hands.

"What are you sorry for?" Jake asked, looking up at me.

"It's my fault she's here. I'm the reason you aren't getting enough sleep and I'm the reason you and the pack started phasing," I said, biting my lip to keep the tears from falling.

I heard his chair scrape back and a second later, I was in his arms.

"This is not your fault. None of it. Do you hear me? It's not your fault the bloodsuckers showed up. It's not your fault this bitch has decided to take revenge against you. It's not your fault the Cullens left. It's not your fault the wolf gene started showing up. None of this is your fault!" Jake insisted strongly.

I gulped and nodded against his chest.

"Good. Now, I love you. The pack loves you. And I know the Cullens loved you. None of us blame you for what's happening," Jake assured me.

"I just feel like if I hadn't come, none of this would've happened," I sobbed, unable to stop the tears.

"Alright, I'll agree with you there. A lot of this stuff wouldn't have happened. For one,

Leah wouldn't have anyone to help her. The vampires were here before you. We still would've phased. Sam still would've left her for Emily. Second, all the new wolves would've had to spend a lot more time in the woods training, being forced away from their families. And the last, and most important, you and I wouldn't be together right now. I wouldn't trade this for anything in the world," Jake vowed.

I smiled and hiccupped, my love for him nearly doubling at his words. Jake could always make me feel better, no matter the situation.

"Now, as for Victoria, we will get her. I promise you, Bella. I won't stop until we have her in a thousand pieces and burned to a crisp," Jake growled.

I shivered slightly at his tone, but held on to him tighter.

"You'd best finish that meatloaf. Charlie's going to be pulling into the driveway in less than half an hour," Jake reminded me.

I sniffed and nodded once. He released me and I turned back to the meat. Instead of returning to his seat at the table, though, he stayed beside me. He helped me finished making the meal before Charlie came home.

When the cruiser pulled into the drive, I was pulling the meatloaf out of the oven and Jake was finishing setting the table. I quickly set down the pan and hurried to greet Charlie at the door.

"Hey, Dad. How was work?" I asked, helping him out of his coat.

"Same as always; exhausting," Charlie sighed, unbuckling his gun belt.

"Well, come sit down. Jake and I have been working hard to make sure dinner was ready when you came home," I smiled, pulling him into the kitchen.

Jake was putting the meatloaf on the table and grinned up at Charlie when we walked in.

"Evening, Chief," Jake greeted.

"Jake," Charlie grunted, nodding in his direction.

He flopped into his chair and started serving himself dinner. Jake held out my chair for me and I smiled up at him as I sat down. He took his seat beside me and began loading his plate.

"Where's your dad tonight, Jake?" Charlie asked in between mouthfuls.

"He's helping Harry and Sue. They've been having some trouble keeping everything under control with two wolves in their house," Jake grinned, winking at me.

I bit back a smile and looked at Charlie. He was pale, but grunted in response and continued eating. I smiled a little and shook my head at Jake.

"How was school today, kid?" Charlie asked.

I swallowed my mouthful and nearly choked. Had Charlie heard about Jake's stunt? Or was he just asking because?

Jake patted my back and I coughed, grabbing my glass. Charlie watched me with concern as I swallowed some water. Once my passageway was clear, I turned to him.

"Um, it was good. Really long. Mike asked me out again," I ticked off, picking at my food.

Jake stiffened at the mention of Mike. I could feel the growl even though we were about three feet apart from each other. Charlie raised an eyebrow and frowned at me.

"I hope you told him off," Charlie said.

"Of course! It's not like I encourage him," I huffed, crossing my arms.

"Good. It's bad enough I have to put up with this one hanging around at all hours. I don't need anymore boys popping up," Charlie grumbled, but his eyes held a teasing glint in them.

"You don't have to worry about that, Charlie. If I find any guy sniffing around her, I'll take care of him myself," Jake assured him.

"Now, Jake. You can't go taking matters into your own hands. I have to uphold the law," Charlie shook a finger at him.

"Never said I'd lay a hand on 'em, Chief," Jake grinned, his wolf side come out.

I glared at him and kicked his leg under the table. He just smiled wider.

"_I_ can handle the unwanted attention. Neither of you have to do anything," I scowled.

"Sure, sure," Jake waved off.

"Jacob Black, do you like eating meals here?" I asked sweetly.

Instantly, his smile was wiped off his face and he zipped his lips. I smiled in satisfaction and went back to my meal.

Oh, yes. He'd do anything for me. And my cooking.

* * *

Saturday morning, I found myself sitting at First Beach, listening to the sound of the waves and the laughter of the pack. Leah was lying beside me, her eyes closed in relaxation. Emily was on her other side, watching the guys as they splashed around in the water. Kim was beside her, lying on her stomach. We were all enjoying one of the rare sunny days in Washington.

"This is amazing," Leah sighed.

We all murmured in agreement.

I reached into my bag beside me and pulled out a very well-loved copy of _Pride and Prejudice_. I flipped open the book and lost myself within it's pages. I became completely enraptured in the lives of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet.

It was hours later when Jake came trotting up to me, dripping wet from his swim in the ocean. He shook himself off close by, spraying me and Leah with water.

"JAKE! YOU JERK!" Leah screamed, leaping to her feet.

Jake just laughed and plopped into the sand beside me. He grabbed a towel from the bag and started drying himself off.

"That was not cool, Mr. Black," I scolded.

"Ah, I'm sorry, Bells. I was just thinking you were looking a little hot. Well, hotter than usual," Jake winked.

I rolled my eyes at his cheesy line, but couldn't hide my smile.

"You're such a goof," I laughed, shoving at him.

He laughed with me and fell back into the sand. I huffed out another laugh, putting my book inside the safety of my bag where it would stay dry. As I was rummaging around inside, looking for my sunglasses, two arms wrapped around my waist and hauled me to my feet. In the next instant, I was thrown over a shoulder and being carried towards the ocean.

"PAUL! PUT ME DOWN!" I screamed, pounding against his back.

Paul just laughed and continued running into the ocean. He pulled me around and held me in his arms.

"You want down? No problem, Bella!" Paul grinned.

My eyes widened as Paul tossed me into the water. My scream was cut off as my body hit the water. The freaking, freezing, cold water!

"PAUL!" I shouted as soon as my head cleared the water.

I looked towards the shore to see every single person looking at me in shock and fear. I looked around and saw the reason.

Less than a football field length away from me was Victoria.

I knew it was pointless to try to escape her, but I still struggled to swim away from her. I knew the pack was swimming out to meet me and I could feel some of them were phased. There was no hope, though. I could feel Victoria closing in on me.

Not knowing what else to do, I dove under the water and swam with the current as it pulled me closer to shore. I felt a hand grab around my ankle and I screamed under the water. Kicking as hard as I could, I managed to slip free. I shouldn't have been able to do it, but I didn't stop to question my good luck. I just kept swimming.

When I came up for air, I was able to stand and run the rest of the way to shore. Leah was waiting for me in wolf form. She was growling at the ocean, but as soon as I stepped foot on dry sand, she howled.

I collapsed beside her, coughing up water. She phased and was instantly trying to help me.

"Bella! Are you alright?" Leah asked, pounding against my back.

"I'm… fine," I gasped, struggling to breath.

She stopped pounding on my back, but didn't pull her hand away from me. I could feel the fear coming off of her and knew she was worried I was going to stop breathing. I threw open the pack mind and was instantly granted a view of what was happening.

The wolves were swimming back to shore. Jake was furious at the fact that Victoria had been so close to me and that Paul had put me in danger. Paul was miserable at the thought of almost getting me killed. Everyone else was in various states of disappointment and frustration. They all wanted Victoria taken care of and the thought of a vampire near their Omega had them all shaken.

I rolled over onto my back and stared up at the sky. I was surprised to see the sun still shining. I would've thought the clouds would have come back out after my "swim". I smiled at the thought and laughed a little. And once I started, I couldn't stop. Near death experiences will do that to a person, I guess.

"Bella? Are you alright?" Leah asked again, peering down at me, concerned.

"Oh… my… gosh! That was…" I gasped, unable to stop laughing.

"O-kay. Sam! Jake!" Leah called over her shoulder.

I tried to gain control of my laughter, but was unsuccessful. As soon as I'd calm down, I'd think about how Seth was pissed that he hadn't gotten any action and I'd start up again. Victoria had grabbed my ankle and I'd freaked out while Seth wanted more action.

Jake was suddenly leaning over me, his face furrowed in concern.

"Bells? Honey, calm down, alright. Please?" Jake pleaded.

As I looked up at him, my laughter subsided. He was pushing his calm into me and I couldn't shut myself off from him fast enough. As soon as I did shut him out, reality set in. I realized how close I'd come to dying. I couldn't control the tremors that suddenly shook my body. I recognized just how cold I was and reached for Jake's warmth. He pulled me into his embrace. I could fell the growls rumbling in his chest. I wondered at his ability to keep them in.

"We need to get here away from here. Can you move her?" Sam asked.

Jake began checking my body for any injuries, his hands trailing lightly over my skin. He nodded to Sam once he'd confirmed I was unhurt.

"We'll take her to my house. Emily will take care of her," Sam declared.

I trembled violently against Jake as he lifted me into his arms and began walking. I looked past my feet and saw Seth walking along side Jake. He flashed me a grin as he grabbed my feet. I hissed at the heat of his hands against my freezing toes. Jake growled and picked up his pace, Seth hurrying to keep up with him and my now thawing toes.

Emily was in the kitchen when we arrived and the smell of food wafted over me. Kim was assisting her, fluttering from the kitchen to the bedroom and back.

"Where do you want her?" Seth asked.

"Bedroom. Kim has everything ready for her in there," Emily answered.

Jake strode off in the direction of the only bedroom. Kim was placing a heating blanket over the bed and looked up as Jake brought me in.

"You'd best get her under the covers, Jake. She's turning blue," Kim frowned, moving out of his way.

Jake walked over to the bed and placed me beneath the sheets. Even with the electric blanket, it wasn't as warm as Jake. I tried to say so, but couldn't form the words through my chattering teeth. Jake understood anyway and was instantly slipping in beside me. He wrapped me completely in his embrace, his arms and legs surrounding my own.

"Th-th-thanks," I stuttered, still shaking.

"Shh," Jake hushed, gripping me tighter.

I shoved my toes against to top of his feet, only feeling slightly guilty when he jumped. He rubbed up and down my back causing goose bumps to pop up along my spine. Gradually, my shivering slowed enough so that only the occasional tremor shook me. Jake relaxed as my body warmed up and I could feel the tension leaving him as I stopped shaking.

"Are you hungry?" Jake asked, his voice raspy.

"A little," I admitted in a barely audible tone.

"I'll go see if Emily has something that'll soothe your throat," Jake offered, standing up.

I cried out as his body left mine and he jerked back into place, his arms wrapping back around me.

"Don't go," I whimpered, clutching him.

"I'm not going anywhere, honey. No where. I won't leave you," Jake promised, kissing my forehead.

I closed my eyes and inhaled his scent. The earthy smell mixed with spices calmed my racing heart and I breathed deeply.

"Sam," Jake called softly, not needing to raise his voice.

A moment later, Sam poked his head into the room. He smiled when he saw my shaking had stopped.

"Hey, Bella. Feeling better?" Sam asked, coming into the room fully.

"Much," I smiled.

"Can you have Emily fix her some soup or something? Her throats a little rough from…" Jake trailed off, his arms tightening around me.

"Sure. She's already got it ready for her. I'll get her to bring in a bowl," Sam agreed, backing out of the room.

"Thanks, Sam," I murmured, snuggling closer to Jake.

He didn't answer as he disappeared down the hallway. About five minutes later, Emily came in with a bowl of chicken noodle soup. I struggled to sit up and Jake was quick to help me. He leaned against the headboard and settled me against his chest. I sighed and leaned against him.

"Here you go," Emily smiled, placing the bowl on my lap.

I lifted it in my hands and enjoyed the warmth coming from it.

"Do you need any help?" Jake asked.

"No," I snorted, picking up the spoon.

It was a little embarrassing having them watch me while I ate, so I focused on the wall opposite the bed. I memorized the paint chips and bumps in the wall. Jake never took his eyes off me, but he started talking to Emily about how the wedding was coming along. She started telling us all about it, starting from the flowers and working towards her dress. By the time she was finished, Jake and I knew every detail she had planned.

"Thanks, Emily," I sighed, handing her the empty bowl.

"No problem. Glad you enjoyed it. Feeling better?" Emily asked, standing up.

"Yes. Thank you," I agreed.

"Anytime," Emily waved, walking out of the room.

I looked up at Jake to find him looking down at me. I smiled and reached up to run my fingers through his short hair.

"Can I go home?" I asked.

"Sure," Jake murmured, sliding out of bed.

He held out his hand and pulled me up. I stumbled slightly, but he quickly righted me. I smiled up at him and took his hand in mine.

His eyes suddenly darkened and his face closed down.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

He pulled me into a huge hug and nearly crushed me in his embrace.

"I can't believe I almost lost you," Jake choked out.

I stopped trying to create some space between us. Instead, I focused on calming him down. He was trembling against me as I petted him. I didn't like him hurting and it was obvious he was.

"Shh, honey. I'm fine. I'm here. It's going to be okay," I whispered, kissing his neck.

He took in a deep breath and exhaled loudly, his entire body shaking as he did. He lifted his head and looked down at me.

"I could've killed Paul for throwing you into that water," Jake growled, holding me tighter.

"It wasn't his fault, Jake. He was just goofing off," I defended him.

"He should have sensed her," Jake denied.

"It doesn't matter. What does matter is that I was able to get away and you were able to scare her off," I scowled.

"Maybe. But next time we might not be so lucky," Jake groused.

"We'll worry about that when we get there," I insisted.

Jake glared down at me and a growl worked it's way through him.

"Stop it! That's enough, Jacob Black! It was an accident! You are not going to make Paul feel bad about this! He already feels bad enough without you adding to it!" I snapped, jabbing my finger into his chest.

Jake continued to frown at me.

"Ugh! You know what? Forget it. I can't talk to you right now. Come see me when you get your act together," I grumbled, yanking myself out of his arms.

I didn't bother looking back, just continued walking out of the bedroom. The entire pack was sitting around the living room. I belatedly realized I had no way to get home.

"Paul, will you take me home?" I asked, hoping to show that I didn't blame him.

He looked up at me in surprise. His eyes were bloodshot and he looked God awful. I raised an eyebrow in question.

"Sure, Bella," Paul agreed, frowning in confusion as he stood up.

I nodded once and walked out of the house, Paul right behind me. He walked over to his car and opened the passenger side door for me. I climbed inside and glared at the front window. Paul walked around and settled into the driver's seat. He cast a quick glance at me before turning on the car and backing out of the driveway.

I was a little surprised that Jake hadn't followed me outside. I had expected him to come running after me. Instead, he hadn't even left the bedroom. I would by lying if I said I wasn't a little hurt at that, but at least he was respecting my wishes. I wanted him to know that I didn't blame Paul and he shouldn't either.

"Bella? I'm really sor-"

"Don't worry about it, Paul. It's okay. It wasn't your fault," I assured him, giving him a smile.

He was watching the road in front of us, frowning. I reached out and touched his arm.

"Hey. Really, it's okay. We had no idea Victoria was even in the area," I said.

"Still, I shouldn't have-"

"Shouldn't have what? Played a prank on me? Yeah, right, Paul. Like you could ever stop," I laughed lightly.

"True," Paul agreed with a small grin.

"None of us blame you for what happened. Well, except Jake. But he'll come around if he knows what's good for him," I warned, glaring out the window again.

"Yeah. I'm sorry about causing you two to fight," Paul mumbled.

"You didn't. Jake did," I murmured thickly, feeling the tears well up in my eyes.

Paul reached over and took my hand, giving it a squeeze before returning his hand to the wheel. I sighed and sunk lower into the seat, wishing Jake wasn't being so hard headed.

* * *

"Bella?"

I groaned and rolled over, trying to go back to sleep.

"Bella? Wake up."

I swatted in the direction of the voice. An overly heated hand grabbed onto mine.

"Bella," the voice groaned.

"Mmm," I answered.

"Wake up," the voice insisted.

"Don't wanna," I mumbled into my pillow.

"Please," the voice whined.

"Mmmmm!" I moaned, trying to pull my hand away.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" I grumbled, finally opening my eyes.

Jake was standing by the bed, his entire face a mask of pain and agony. I instantly sat up, fear stabbing my heart.

"What? What happened?" I asked frantically, reaching out to him.

He took both my hands in his and kissed them, closing his eyes as he did.

"I'm so, so sorry," Jake choked out, a few tears running down his cheeks.

"Jake," I gasped, moving my hand up to wipe away his tears.

"I shouldn't have said what I said. You were right. It wasn't Paul's fault," Jake mumbled miserably.

I blinked up at him a few times, remembering I was supposed to be angry with him.

"Why didn't you come after me when I left?" I asked, tears coming to my own eyes.

"I couldn't. You told me not to. It was like an Alpha command. I couldn't break it," Jake admitted, his forehead wrinkling.

"Oh."

"I'm sorry it took me so long," Jake whispered, sitting down beside me.

I sighed and looked down at the bed. Jake still had a hold of one of my hands and was tracing his thumb along the back of it. I looked at our hands for a long time, noticing the different tones of our skin. We made a beautiful contrast and I awed by the difference.

"You don't have to apologize to me," I murmured after a while.

"I've already apologized to Paul," Jake told me, already a step ahead of my thoughts.

I smiled at our hands. Slowly, I lifted his hand to my face and kissed his palm. He sucked in a breath and let it out unevenly. I looked up at him and placed his palm against my cheek. His thumb rubbed against my cheek, his eyes showing nothing but love.

"I love you," I sighed, leaning forward.

"I love you," Jake repeated, closing the distance.

Our lips met and I was in heaven. Jake poured all his worry and fear and sorrow into that one kiss. He wrapped his arms around me and hauled me against his chest. My arms wound themselves around his neck and held on. He moaned and lowered me onto the bed, climbing over top of me. I sighed as his hands began caressing my hips, going to my thighs and then working up to my ribcage.

I gasped when his hand engulfed my breast. He took the opportunity to shove his tongue inside my mouth, flicking it against my own. I responded by gently biting his lower lip. He growled and jerked away from me.

"Bella. We have to stop," Jake panted.

I stared up at him, too lost in the haze of desire to understand. I pulled him back down and began kissing my way along his jaw line. My tongue darted out to taste his skin and I groaned at the salty taste.

"Bella. Please," Jake whimpered, trying to pull away.

"Jake," I moaned, arching against him.

"We have… to stop," Jake gasped, putting space between our bodies.

"Why?" I breathed, trying to follow him.

"Because I'm not going to be able to stop if we keep this up and I refuse to have our first time be with Charlie in the next room," Jake insisted, his voice coming back stronger.

I frowned up at him, but released him. He rolled off of me and settled down beside me. I knew he was right. Plus, I wasn't sure I was ready to go that last step. I was happy with our physical relationship exactly where it was. And Jake knew that.

"Thank you," I mumbled, rolling into his side.

"Anytime, honey. Anytime."

* * *

**I am soooooooo sorry, you guys! This weekend was absolutely awful!! I found out that FanFiction is pulling stories!! My muse totally flew out the window at that!! It took me forever to convince her to come back! I hope this chapter makes up for the long wait. It's fifteen pages!! **

**Hopefully it'll tie you guys over until Thursday night. I have two papers to write by Thursday and a test to study for. I don't think I'll be able to update again until Thursday night. I'll try to write stuff in between classes so you can actually have a decent chapter then. **

**If you guys haven't done so yet, you should sign the petition that's on here. I'm hoping it'll let me post the link… Go sign the petition! We need to let FanFiction know that if they pull our stories, we pull them!**

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**P.S. I'm sorry if there are any mistakes. I really wanted to get this posted. I'll reread it later in the week and fix anything that needs fixing.**


	11. Chapter 11: Don't Play Fair

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Eleven

I woke up when I felt Jake leave the bed. I rolled over and reached for him. His warm hand wrapped around mine, bringing it to his lips.

"Come back to bed," I murmured, pulling at his arm.

"I wish I could, honey, but I have to go meet with Sam. I'll be by after patrols to pick you up," Jake promised.

"Mmm. Kay," I mumbled, dropping his hand.

He chuckled and kissed my forehead.

"I love you," he said.

"Love you," I yawned.

He laughed again before jumping out the window, thumping softly on the ground when he landed.

I rolled over until I was lying where he had been moments before. His warmth and smell still clung to the sheets. I smiled as I fell back asleep.

* * *

I was sitting at the kitchen table, finishing breakfast, when the phone rang. Charlie picked it up in the living room where he was watching pre-game shows.

"Bells! It's for you," Charlie called.

I hurried to pick up the kitchen phone, thinking it might be Jake or one of the guys.

"Hello?" I asked as I heard Charlie hang up.

"Hi, Bella. It's Angela."

"Hey. What's up?" I asked, smiling.

"I was wondering if you wanted to hang out today. A bunch of us are going to Port Angeles," Angela offered.

"Ah, I'm sorry, Ang. Jake is coming to get me soon. We had plans together," I told her.

"Bring him along. Please, Bella? Please don't leave me alone with Jessica, Lauren, and the guys. Please!" Angela pleaded.

"Oh, alright," I grumbled after debating.

"Thank you, Bella!" Angela squealed.

"Sure, sure. Let me call Jake and I'll call you right back," I sighed.

"Okay," Angela chirped.

I hung up the phone and sighed. I knew Jake wouldn't want to go to Port Angeles for the day. Heck, even I didn't want to go what with Lauren going. I picked up the phone and dialed his number. I didn't know if he was back from his meeting with Sam yet, but it was worth a shot. If he wasn't home, I'd call Sam's.

"Hello?" Billy answered after three rings.

"Hey, Billy. Is Jake around?" I asked.

"Hey, Bella. He actually just walked through the door. Hold on a sec," Billy said.

There was a shuffling noise as the phone was handed off and then Jake came on the line.

"Good morning, beautiful."

I smiled at his goofy tone, feeling incredibly loved. A warm glow settled over my heart as soon as I heard his voice. I couldn't resist raising a hand to my chest to see if it was actually warmer.

"Good morning to you, too, handsome," I replied.

"So, what's up? I was planning on grabbing a shower before coming to get you," Jake explained.

"Yeah, about that. Angela called a minute ago. She wants me to go to Port Angeles with her. And she wants me to bring you along," I told him, grimacing slightly.

"Oh, yeah? Sounds like fun. Who all is going?" Jake asked.

I started in surprise and pulled the phone away from my ear to stare at it. "Sounds like fun"? What the heck?

"Bells? You there, honey?" Jake asked.

"Uh, yeah, I'm here. Sorry. Just a little shocked," I admitted.

He chuckled lightly.

"Who's going?" Jake repeated, his voice deeper.

It sent chills down my spine and I suddenly wished he was with me so I could kiss him.

"Um. Well, Angela, which means Ben. Then there's Lauren and Jessica, two people who do not like me at all. And she said the guys which probably means Mike, Eric, and Tyler," I listed off for him.

"Hmm. Alright. Why don't you call Leah and see if she and Seth want to tag along? Just in case," Jake added.

I bit my lower lip and frowned.

"Do you really think she might…?" I trailed off, knowing he'd understand.

"No, but it never hurts to be sure. I'll call Quil and Embry when I'm out of the shower and see if they'll come too," Jake decided.

"Jeeze, Jake. Why not just invite all of La Push?" I scoffed.

"Because I'm only interested in the werewolves who are off duty. I don't want another First Beach incident," Jake said.

"Oh, come on, Jake. You said you let it go," I whined.

"I have. I forgave Paul. I just don't want her to ever get that close to you again," Jake growled, obviously not liking the idea.

"Fine. Bring the whole goon squad. I'm going to call Angela back and give her a heads up," I sighed, rubbing my forehead.

I could feel a headache coming on and knew it was all Jake's fault.

"Sounds good, honey. I'll see you soon," Jake said.

"Bye, Jake."

I hung up the phone and shook my head. I dialed Angela's number and told her about my conversation with Jake.

"Wow. We're going to have a real convoy going," Angela laughed.

"Yeah, yeah. What time?" I asked.

"Around eleven. Meet at the diner," Angela supplied.

"See you then," I said before hanging up the phone.

Another call made to Seth and Leah and I was done. I hung up the phone for the last time and went about cleaning up my breakfast. I glanced at the clock and saw that it was nine thirty. That gave me about an hour to get ready.

"Dad, I'm going to Port Angeles with some of the guys from school and La Push," I informed him, walking towards the stairs.

"Alright, Bells. You need money?" Charlie asked.

"No, I'm good," I assured him.

I took a quick shower and dressed in my usual jeans and a t-shirt with a hoodie over top. Slipping my feet into my tennis shoes, I hurried downstairs.

I stopped short when I saw the small group clustered in the kitchen. Charlie was keeping watch as Jake, Seth, Leah, Quil, and Embry huddled in the small room. Jake was sitting in his usual seat at the table while everyone else stood around nervously. I couldn't help but smile at their obvious discomfort.

"You guys ready?" I asked, moving to stand beside Charlie.

Everyone looked relieved when I walked in. Jake caught my eyes and gave me a wink. I smiled in response.

"You kids be safe, now," Charlie ordered gruffly.

"Don't worry, Chief. I'll hold her hand while she gets her tattoos and piercings," Jake assured him teasingly.

Charlie's face turned a deep red.

"He's kidding, Dad," I muttered, glaring at Jake.

Charlie grunted and relaxed.

"Let's go if we're gonna go," Quil griped, moving towards the door.

"How are we all getting there? Not everyone can fit in one car," I frowned, following them outside.

"Don't worry. I brought the Rabbit and Quil drove his Cherokee," Jake said, taking my hand.

"Have her back at a decent hour," Charlie called from the door.

"No problem, Chief," Jake answered, smiling at me.

He walked me around to the passenger side of the Rabbit. I blushed when he opened the door for me. He chuckled lightly as I slid into my seat. Seth and Leah climbed into the back while Quil and Embry got into the Cherokee. Jake grinned as he started the car.

"Where to?" Jake asked.

"The diner. We're meeting everyone there," I answered, settling into my seat.

Jake pulled away from the house, drumming his fingers against the wheel. I turned to look at Seth and Leah.

"You guys should know, Jessica and Lauren probably won't like you. Well, they may like you, Seth. They'll definitely try to flirt with you. Which means the guys won't like you. Best thing to do is just ignore them. They don't like competition, so they won't like you, Leah. They'll view you as a threat," I warned.

Seth nodded while Leah looked at me like I was crazy.

"You're kidding me, right? I have no interest in taking their boys away from them. From what you've told me and what I've seen from Jake, they're not worth it," Leah scoffed.

"I'm just saying," I said, holding up my hands in surrender.

"Don't worry, Bells. Leah outranks both of them on the Bitch Scale," Jake teased.

"Jake!" I scolded as Leah snorted.

"She knows I'm teasing, Bells," Jake grinned.

"Still," I huffed.

"Would it help if I apologized?" Jake asked.

"Only if you meant it," I glared.

"I'm sorry, Leah," Jake sighed.

"No problem, flea bag," Leah smiled.

Seth and I laughed as Jake growled at her.

We pulled into the diner a few minutes later. Jake hurried around to open my door for me.

"Did you warn Quil and Embry?" I asked as he helped me out of the car.

"No," Jake laughed.

"Not cool, Jake," I murmured.

"It'll be fine, honey. They can handle themselves," Jake assured me.

"I hope so," I admitted nervously.

Jake took my hand and we walked over to join the others before walking towards my friends from school. Angela waved me over, smiling widely. She dragged Ben over to meet us halfway. Ben didn't look too happy to see Jake again. I glanced behind them to see Mike, Tyler, and Eric glaring at him as well.

"Bella! I'm so glad you decided to come," Angela exclaimed, hugging me.

"Good to see you, too, Ang," I laughed.

She stepped back and Ben wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Angela, this is my boyfriend, Jacob Black, and our friends, Seth and Leah Clearwater, Quil Aterea, and Embry Call. Everybody, this is Angela Weber and her boyfriend, Ben Cheney," I introduced.

Everyone nodded and said "hello".

"Come meet the rest of the gang," Angela insisted, leading the way back to the other group.

After everyone had been introduced, we started debating what to do in Port Angeles. Jessica and Lauren wanted to shop. The guys wanted to see the latest James Bond movie. Angela, Leah, and I were interested in a book store I'd found on a previous trip.

"Alright. Here's what we'll do. Everybody do their own thing for… two hours? Then, we'll go see the movie and do dinner after. Sound good?" Eric asked.

Everyone agreed.

"Let's get going, then!" Quil cried, going to his jeep.

Angela and Ben followed him and Embry. Jessica, Lauren, Eric, and Mike climbed into Tyler's van. Leah, Seth, Jake, and I went back to his Rabbit. Tyler honked his horn as he pulled out of the parking lot. Quil followed him out and Jake brought up the rear.

The entire ride to Port Angeles was filled with chatter about nothing at all. Leah and I were talking about a new book that had come out by one of her favorite authors while Seth and Jake talked about the movie.

"What are you guys going to do until then?" I asked.

"Probably just hang out somewhere. Who knows," Jake shrugged.

"There's a sporting good's store that has a shooting range. You could go there," I suggested.

Both their eyes lit up and I knew that's where they'd be spending the majority of the two hours. I laughed and rolled my eyes at Leah who smirked back at me.

Tyler honked his horn again as he pulled into the movie theater's parking lot a few minutes later. We call climbed out and started talking plans.

"Two hours; we all meet back here," Tyler instructed.

"Are you going to be alright? I don't know if I like letting you go off with just Leah," Jake frowned as everyone dispersed.

"We'll be fine, Jake. I highly doubt we'll see anything of her today," I assured him with a smile.

"Be safe," Jake murmured, kissing me briefly.

"I will," I promised.

Leah was pulling at my arm. I walked backwards, keeping my eyes on Jake. I flashed him one last smile before turning around and walking towards the book store with Angela and Leah.

* * *

We spent the entire two hours scanning the shelves for good reads. By the time we were done, we each had about five books.

"We're going to be late," Leah realized as we quickly made our way to the theater.

"I'm sure they'll wait," Angela teased.

Leah and I shared a look while Angela wasn't looking. We both knew Jake would be working himself into a frenzy if we didn't get back soon.

"We better hurry," I said, lengthening my stride.

We ran across the street, dodging traffic and honking horns. It took us about half the time it had taken us to get to the book store to get back to the theater. When we walked up, everyone was waiting for us. None of the guys looked happy.

Jake reached out and yanked me into his arms. I could feel the growls rumbling through his chest. Ben marched up to Angela and was alternately scolding her for not answering her phone and hugging her. Seth, Quil, and Embry were giving Leah dark looks which she, of course, returned.

"Damn it, Bells. Where the hell have you been?" Jake asked roughly.

I felt bad for making him worry about me, but I didn't understand why everyone was so worked up. We were only a few minutes late.

"I'm sorry, Jake. We just lost track of time. Anyway, it's not like we were that late," I pointed out.

"Bells, I-"

"Are we going to see this movie or what?" Lauren interrupted.

Jake sighed and released me from his embrace. He kept his arm around my shoulder, though, obviously not ready to let go of me. I put my arm around his waist and leaned my head against his chest. He squeezed me gently and kissed the top of my head.

"Let's go, man," Tyler called.

We all followed him into the theater and stood in line to buy our tickets. Jake paid for my ticket, despite my protests. I had to beg him to let me pay for the popcorn and soda. He only relented after getting me to agree that he pay for dinner. I tried to argue with him, but it was no use. Jacob Black was just as stubborn as I was.

The theater wasn't very crowded, which was good since we took up nearly an entire row. Or, at least, we would have if we had all sat together. I laughed a little as Jake pulled me about halfway up the steps and into the center of the aisle. He fell into the seat and sighed, propping his legs up on the seat in front of him. I sat beside him and grinned.

"Why don't you want to sit with our friends?" I asked.

"I want you all to myself for a while. Besides, you don't see the rest of them sticking together," Jake snorted.

I looked around and noticed that our group had indeed split up. I smiled happily as I noticed Leah sitting in between Quil and Eric. She was laughing at something Eric said and her whole face was transformed.

"You better stop checking out Leah. I'm starting to feel a little jealous," Jake teased.

"You goof. It's just nice to see her smiling, is all," I laughed, shoving at him.

"I'd have to agree with you there," Jake replied.

"She really is beautiful when she smiles," I continued.

"Mmm. Not nearly as beautiful as you," Jake hummed.

I blushed and felt a tingling beneath my skin at his words. When Jake paid me a compliment, it was hard not to believe him. Everything about him was so genuine. He made me feel special. Not in the way that Edward had. Edward had been convinced that I had no flaws, that I was perfect. Jake saw the flaws and loved me anyways. He knew I was far from perfect, but I was perfect for him.

Jake chuckled at my embarrassment and nuzzled into my neck. We were waiting for the previews to come on and the entire theater was buzzing with conversation.

"Did you enjoy the shooting range?" I asked, taking his hand in mine.

"For a while," Jake admitted.

"What did you do after that?" I asked, tracing designs on his skin.

He tensed slightly and pulled away from me. I frowned up at him, wondering what was wrong. His face was pained and I could tell he was having trouble controlling himself. Knowing I had to calm him down, I brought his hand up to my face and cradled it against my cheek. When his breathing started to regulate, I placed kisses on his palm, tracing the lines with my tongue.

His hand was suddenly removed from my mouth and replaced at the back of my neck. He hauled me up against his chest and kissed me. It was a hard, brutal kiss. This kiss was nothing like what we'd shared before. There was no softness, no compassion. Only raw need.

I moaned slightly and pressed my body closer to him, wanting to feel more. The sound jarred him out of his haze and he pulled back. I blinked up at him as we both struggled to catch our breath.

"I promise you, I'll tell you later. Let's just… enjoy the movie for now. After dinner, I'll tell you," Jake promised, pulling me back against his chest.

"I'm holding you to that," I warned.

He chuckled lightly and nuzzled into my hair. I sighed and relaxed as the previews started lighting up the screen.

I didn't pay much attention to the movie. My mind was focused completely on Jake. I knew I could reach out, open his mind, and figure out what had happened that had him so shaken, but I didn't. He wanted to wait to tell me, so I would wait. If he tried to back out, I'd find out through his thoughts. It might be an invasion of privacy, but if something had happened to endanger me, Jake, or the rest of the pack, there was no such thing as privacy. Not to an Omega.

Jake sensed that I was becoming worried and starting rubbing slow circles on my side. He nestled into my neck and started kissing the sensitive skin there. I moaned softly as his tongue darted out to taste me. His arm tightened around my waist, pulling me closer to his body. I couldn't hold in the gasp that came out when I felt his reaction to our close positions and earlier kiss.

He was hard. And big. And, oh, dear God, did I like it.

His hand that had been resting on my lower thigh slowly started inching upwards. I held my breath in anticipation, wondering what he was going to do. His hand reached the top of my thigh and began the slow trail back down. I bit my lip against the whimper that threatened to escape.

Jake continued his assault on my neck, bringing his teeth into play as he nibbled at my collarbone. I was tilting my head before I realized what I was doing, begging him silently not to stop. I could feel his smile as he continued his exploration of my skin and felt my own lips twitch in response.

His hand was making the journey back up and this time I prayed he'd keep it there. My prayer was answered. When he reached the juncture of my thighs, his fingers started kneading my skin. I moved my hips against his hand, feeling a strange tension coiling in my stomach.

He suddenly stopped moving, his entire body going still. I pulled away to look at him. His eyes were shut and he was breathing heavy. I reached up and traced a finger down his tense jaw. His eyes snapped open and I was lost in the dark depths of his desire for me.

The lights came on, but neither one of us moved. We were too busy reading every detail of the other's soul. I definitely liked what I saw.

"You guys coming or what?"

We both turned to see the rest of our group standing at the bottom of the theater, grinning up at us. I blushed and moved further away from Jake. He was just too tempting with his body so close to mine.

Jake chuckled and helped me out of my seat. He kept hold of my hand as we made our way down the steps to meet up with the others.

"So, did you two enjoy the movie?" Quil asked, smirking.

I blushed deeper as I realized they all knew Jake and I hadn't paid one bit of attention to what was happening on the screen.

"Actually, we did. Best time I've ever had in a theater," Jake grinned, pulling me under his arm.

I felt my eyes go wide and slapped his stomach for egging them on. Jake just laughed with the rest of them.

"Well, I hope you enjoyed it, cause it's the last time you'll be having fun with me in a theater," I snapped, storming away.

I was biting my lips together to keep from laughing. Really, being around Jake and his friends was like being around... a bunch of horny teenagers. I laughed a little as I realized that's exactly what they were. And I apparently wasn't too far away from them. I couldn't believe I'd let Jake do all that to me in a movie theater!

"Bella! Wait up!"

I stopped and waited for Jake to catch up with me. He started talking before he'd even reached me.

"Honey, I'm sorry. I thought-"

He stopped short when he saw I was smiling. Shock registered on his face for about two seconds before he was glaring at me, his own smile fighting not to come out.

"That was not nice, Miss Swan," Jake said threateningly.

"My apologies, Mr. Black. I didn't realize you'd take my teasing so seriously," I smiled, batting my eyelashes at him.

Jake continued to glare down at me, but I knew he wasn't mad. I moved closer to him until there wasn't hardly any space between us. I placed my hand right over his heart and looked up at him.

"Am I forgiven?" I asked softly, my eyes wide.

Jake let out a sigh that sounded more like a growl. His arms wrapped around me, closing off the minute space that had been between us. He lowered his head and I thought he was going to kiss me. Instead-

"You don't play fair, Bells," Jake murmured in my ear.

He then placed a hot, open mouthed kiss right below said ear causing me to gasp and clutch him tighter. He chuckled and pulled away.

"Good thing I don't either."

* * *

**Oh my gosh, I have missed this story something crazy!! Let me tell you, it's been driving me absolutely bonkers not posting anything!! Get ready for some good chapters coming your way, my lovely readers!! I have a feeling I'll be up late tonight typing Chapter Twelve and then I have aaaaaaaaalllllllllll weekend to write!!! *sigh* It just doesn't get any better than this.**

**Now, for the petition I posted last chapter; apparently, it's been pulled. There are two others however. One by the same writer, one by a different writer. I will post them both on my profile page so you don't have to mess with all the parenthesis and yuck if you're interested in signing them.**

**I'll see you guys soon!!**


	12. Chapter 12: Victoria

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Twelve

I laughed at the irony of it all.

When the vote had gone up about where to eat dinner, it had been unanimous.

_Bella Italia_.

Jake had sensed my mood change and had given me a concerned look. I had simply shaken my head and continued smiling. It was probably a good idea to eat dinner there. After all, it had been the place where I finally started chipping away at the barrier around Edward's heart. That was in the past, though. I needed to make new memories with Jake.

So, I didn't allow myself to focus on Edward while I spent the evening laughing with my friends. I would catch Jake throwing me glances every now and then, but I just flashed him a smile and he would relax. The food was just as good as the first time and I found myself thoroughly enjoying the night.

"That was fun," I said as we walked back to the car.

"It was," Jake agreed, taking my hand in his.

I smiled up at him. He gave me a tender look that sent a pulse thrumming all the way to my toes. I swallowed the sudden thump in my throat and my eyes zeroed in on his lips. His hand tightened on mine and my eyes flashed back up to his. They were darker and fiercer. I bit my lip and leaned in towards him.

"Oh, for the love of God! Can't you two keep it to yourselves for five minutes?" Leah shouted, walking between us to break us apart.

I laughed and began following her to the car, Jake right behind me. I reached back with my hand and sighed contently when his fingers intertwined with mine. He pulled me back until I was walking side by side with him. I leaned against his shoulder as we walked, letting him guide my movements. His free hand came up and ran through my hair.

"Bella!"

I groaned and lifted my head to look around for who had called my name. I was surprised to see Jessica running towards me. She looked frantic.

"Bella, I have to talk to you! Now!" Jessica claimed, grabbing my arm and yanking.

I winced at her grip as my shoulder popped. Jake growled low in his throat and moved to unclasp her hand, but I stopped him with a hand to the chest.

"Sure, Jess. Everything okay?" I asked, letting go of Jake's hand.

"No! You have to come with me," Jessica demanded, pulling me away from Jake.

"Bella," Jake warned.

I knew he didn't want me wandering off in the dark, but I needed know what was wrong with Jessica. I was torn.

"I'll just be a second, Jake," I decided.

His brow furrowed, but he nodded. He stood with his feet braced apart and his arms crossed over his chest. He had never looked more intimidating. I found myself wanting nothing more than to bash Jessica over the head and run back into his arms.

Instead, I allowed Jessica to lead me back towards the restaurant.

"What is it, Jess?" I asked wearily.

"Not yet," Jessica answered, looking around frantically.

I was starting to worry. She wasn't acting like her usual self. She was fidgety and nervous, her eyes wide open as she scanned the crowd around us. Finally, she found what she was looking for and made a beeline towards an alley.

"Jess, we can't just go down dark alleys at night," I hesitated.

"Hello, Bella."

I felt my eyes go wide as the betrayal settled over me. I turned to see Jessica smiling into the darkness, a pleased expression on her face.

"Jess, what did you do?" I gasped, grabbing her arms and swinging her to face me.

"Shut up, Bella! You don't get to talk to me like that anymore!" Jessica yelled, breaking my hold.

I started backing away from her, but it was too late. The figure that had been hiding the shadows emerged and grabbed hold of my wrist. I straightened my back and reached through to the pack mind. I had to let the guys know what was going on.

"Hello, Victoria."

She laughed and flipped her red hair behind her shoulder. She never removed her eyes from me, but she waved a hand in Jessica's direction.

"You can go."

Without another word, Jessica left. I couldn't believe she would turn me over to Victoria. I knew she didn't like me much anymore, but I didn't think she hated me this much. Maybe she just didn't realize how dangerous Victoria was.

"Ah, Bella. I've been waiting for this moment for a long time. Are you ready?" Victoria asked.

I didn't respond. I could feel the guys as they frantically tried to figure out what to do. Jake was already running towards us, panic and determination flowing through him. I didn't know if he'd get here in time.

_DON'T YOU DARE SAY THAT, BELLA! I'M ALMOST THERE!_ Jake shouted at me.

I flinched at his loud voice in my head. Victoria noticed and chuckled.

"Yes, you should be afraid," Victoria murmured, mistaking my movement.

I just stared at her. She suddenly lifted her head and took a sniff of the air. She smiled viciously at me.

"Looks like we'll have to relocate our selves, Bella, dear. I'm sorry to do this, but I can't have you knowing where we're going," Victoria said sweetly.

I felt a blow against my temple and then nothing.

* * *

I groaned and rolled over, expecting to feel Jake's arms wrap around me. When they didn't, I frowned and reached for him. All I felt was a cold wooden floor. There was rattling as my arm moved and felt something heavy on my wrists.

My eyes jerked open and I looked around. I was in a dark room, chained to the wall. All the windows were boarded up nice and tight. The entire place smelled like death. I nearly gagged at the metallic and salt smell of blood.

I shoved down the dizzy feeling and focused on figuring out what had happened. I couldn't remember anything past walking away with Jessica.

It hit my like a lightning bolt.

_Victoria._

I started gasping for breath as my fear fought to consume me. I looked around frantically as if expecting her to pop out of one of the corners. I huddled back against the wall and felt the tears start. I struggled to keep my sobbing quiet, but it was no use. I was absolutely terrified.

I wanted Jake.

That one thought brought on a thousand more. Did he know where I was? Did he know I was still alive? Did he know Victoria had me? Did the pack know? Were they out looking for me? How long had I been in this awful place?

All I had to do to answer those questions was reach out and touch one of their minds.

I knew it wouldn't be easy. I was so tired and my body was weak. I wasn't up to my full potential, but I started searching anyway, hoping one of them was phased. Our connection was strongest when they were phased. It wasn't as hard to break through their mental barrier. I started panicking when I couldn't find any of them. God, had Victoria gotten them, too?

A sudden pull brought me back to my search. One of them had just phased. I sighed in relief.

_Jared?_ I called hesitantly.

Even my mental voice sounded weak.

_Bella?!? Is that really you? Holy shit! Hold on! Just, hold on!_ Jared demanded frantically.

_Okay,_ I replied weakly.

I heard through his mind as he let out a piercing howl. Within minutes, the entire pack was inside my head.

_What the hell, Jared? I was asleep!_ Paul grumbled.

_What is it Jared? Did you catch a scent?_ Sam asked, all business.

_Dude, I was just about to get some,_ Quil whined.

_Shut up! All of you!_ Jared snapped.

I felt all of their displeasure at his tone.

_Jared, you have no-_ Sam scolded.

_Shut it, Sam! Just listen!_ Jared growled.

They all got quiet. I started feeling through their minds, struggling to connect with all of them instead of just Jared. I nearly lost it when I connected with Jake. He was literally coming apart inside. I found myself gasping as I tried to get a hold of myself.

_BELLA!_ They all screamed at once.

_Oh, God, honey! Where are you? Are you alright? What happened? Did she hurt you? Talk to me, Bella! _Jake shouted, tensing as he felt me.

_I'm… fine… Jake,_ I panted, falling to the ground in exhaustion.

Talking to the whole pack was getting to be difficult. I was so tired. I just wanted to curl up and fall back asleep.

_NO! Bella! Don't leave me! _Jake cried, jumping forward as if he was jumping towards me.

_Won't,_ I mumbled, unable to say anything else.

_Bella, close yourself off. You're wasting too much energy,_ Sam advised softly.

_Can't. Need… to… stay, _I argued.

I didn't want to leave Jake. I could feel all his despair at thinking he'd lost me forever. I couldn't cut off his only link to me right now.

_Bells, honey, it's okay. Just… focus on Sam, okay? Tell him all you can. We're going to find you, honey, _Jake instructed, his voice breaking.

I could tell it was difficult for him to tell me to stay connected to Sam while closing everyone else out, including him. I was crying softly as I shut my mind to them each, one by one. I saved Jake for last.

_I love you,_ I whispered.

_God, Bells. I love you, too, honey. I'll find you. I swear it_, Jake vowed.

I knew he was crying just like me. With one final push, I shut him off. It was just Sam and I. He waited for a few moments and allowed me to compose myself.

_Tell me what happened, Bella,_ Sam instructed.

I replayed everything I could remember. He bristled at some points and down right growled at others. It was inconceivable for any creature to be able to hurt an Omega. The fact that Victoria could do it so easily said much about her mental state. We threw ideas back and forth about what she had planned.

_Can you tell me anything about where you are?_ Sam asked.

_All I know is that I'm in a room and it's cold. There aren't open windows, so I don't even know what it's like outside. I'm sorry, Sam, _I sighed tiredly.

_Bella, I'm going to try to force your connection to stay open, alright? I need to know what's going on, even when you're asleep. It might be a little uncomfortable, but we have to try this, _Sam said.

_Anything you think will help,_ I murmured, already feeling my eyes getting heavy.

Without so much as a by-your-leave, Sam shoved himself into my mind, forcing my brain to squeeze tightly. I winced and brought my hands up to my head.

_Shit, Bella!_ Sam gasped.

I watched in shock as he fell to the ground. The other wolves moved towards him, nervously whining. Jake nearly jumped out of his skin. I realized that with Sam inside my head, it made connecting to the pack much easier.

_What's wrong, Sam?_ Paul asked.

_Shit, _Sam rasped again, struggling to get to his feet.

Paul and Jared moved to help him, allowing him to lean on them.

_You alright, Sam?_ I asked hesitantly.

_God, Bella. How the hell are you still alive?_ Sam asked, his voice rough with strain.

Jake growled and snapped at Sam.

_What the hell, Sam? _Jake snarled.

_Jake, can't you feel it? She's so weak, I'm amazed she was able to connect with Jared in the first place,_ Sam explained.

_Is she drawing on the pack strength?_ Seth asked, concern in his voice.

_I can't tell,_ Sam admitted.

_Bella, you bitch! What the hell were you thinking go off with that whore? You should've taken me with you!_ Leah snapped at me.

I felt anger rise up in me. Leah had no right to talk to me that way. I had thought Jessica was in trouble. What else was I supposed to do? Just brush her off and ignore her?

Jake growled and lunged for Leah, but Seth blocked him.

_Jake, wait! Feel that?_ Seth asked.

Everyone paused and I could suddenly feel every single one of them inside me. It was insane. There was a rush of power and I started trembling from the force of it all. Somehow, I ended up on all fours on the ground. I was gasping for breath as they continued to push their strength into me.

_Stop! That's enough! _Sam ordered.

Immediately, the strength stopped flowing into me, but the strength they had already shared was still inside. I stood up and looked down at the chains on my wrists. I glanced at the wall and noticed how rusty the bolts were.

_You guys might not want to see this,_ I warned.

_Don't close me out, Bella!_ Sam growled.

_Fine,_ I barked, feeding off my own anger and the pack strength.

I braced my foot against the wall. I only then noticed my feet were bare. I briefly wondered what had happened to my shoes, but quickly refocused on the chains. Grabbing them in both hands, I started pulling, using my foot as leverage.

_Bella! No!_ Jake whined, feeling the pain in my wrists.

_What the hell do you think you're doing?_ Paul growled.

_Bella, you're gonna break your wrists!_ Embry warned.

_Keep it up, Bella!_ Leah cheered.

_Bella! Stop!_ Sam commanded, his eyes wide in fear.

I ignored his Alpha voice and continued pulling. I could feel all my muscles straining, but I didn't stop. I gritted my teeth and gave a final jerk. The chains fell out of the wall and I stumbled back, breathing heavily.

_Damn, that was hot,_ Quil mumbled.

_Shut up, Quil!_ Jake snarled.

_Sorry, dude!_ Quil grinned.

_What the hell, Bella? You could've seriously injured yourself!_ Sam scolded.

I continued to ignore him and looked at the cell door.

_Bella. Don't. It's not safe, _Sam pleaded, suddenly afraid for me.

_Don't worry, Sam. I'll be fine, _I assured him.

_What's going on? What's she doing? Bella!_ Jake called, his voice raising as he continued to speak.

_She's going to try and break out,_ Sam told him.

_Traitor, _I teased.

_ISABELLA MARIE SWAN! SIT YOUR ASS DOWN, NOW! YOU ARE NOT TO LEAVE THAT ROOM! I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO WALK TO YOUR OWN DEATH, DO YOU HEAR ME? YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME!_ Jake shouted, his entire body trembling.

_SILENCE!_ Sam roared.

Everyone fell quiet, but I could feel Jake's irritation at Sam's command. The others weren't too happy either.

_Just wait a second, Bella,_ Sam pleaded.

I paused with my hand on the door.

_I can't just wait here for her to come to me. I have to get out,_ I told him.

Sam was clearly struggling with what decision to make. He didn't want me getting myself into any unnecessary danger, but he also didn't want me waiting around to be killed. I waited patiently for him to make up his mind, but I knew I only had so much time to waste.

_Go, _Sam gritted.

I didn't waste any time and yanked the door open. It came off the hinges easily. I looked around outside the door and surmised that I was in some kind of shack. I couldn't hear anything else in the small building.

Hesitantly, I left the safety of the room and crept along the hallway. I was surprised when I didn't see Victoria anywhere. I would have thought she'd know I had broken out. Maybe she was gone, thinking I would be out longer. What ever the case was, I wasn't sticking around until she came back.

I finally found a door that led outside and hurried through it. The second I did, I almost wished I stayed inside.

There were a dozen or more bodies hung up all around the house. Every single one of them had been bled to death. Their eyes stared lifelessly around them, horror marked on every edge of their faces. I gasped and doubled over as I felt some of the left over agony. Keeping myself open was causing a lot of problems.

_Stay open, Bella. I know it's hard. You can't shove me out, _Sam pushed.

I realized I had been trying to do just that. I was trying to build my walls back up and close myself off in order to get rid of the agony.

_Bella, we know where you are! We're coming for you!_ Sam suddenly said.

I could feel the pack as they moved through the woods. It was a freeing feeling for all of them, but this time, they didn't allow themselves to become lost in the hunt. They all knew what would happen if they didn't make it to me before Victoria did.

_Don't think about it, Bella,_ Sam advised.

_Oh, sure. Easy thing for you to say,_ I snorted.

I started walking away from the house, trying to get away from the bodies and the absolute pain and terror they had felt right up until their lives ended. Instead, I focused on the pack as they raced towards me. Apparently, I was a lot closer to them than any of us had thought. They would be arriving in no time.

Unfortunately, not soon enough.

"Well, well, well, Bella. Didn't your mother ever teach you it isn't nice to leave without telling someone goodbye?"

I spun around and gasped.

Victoria stood in the doorway of the shack, smiling at me. I started backing away from her, unable to do anything else. In the blink of an eye, she was on me.

"Now, now. No need to run away. Don't you like my decorations?" Victoria asked softly.

I winced as her cold finger bit into my skin. She inhaled my scent and sighed.

"My, but you smell divine. I had meant for us to have a little play time before I killed you, but I don't know if that'll be possible. You are just so appetizing," Victoria complimented.

I couldn't hold back the whimper that came out of my mouth.

_Almost there, Bella! Just hold on!_ Sam called.

"Mmmm. I'm going to enjoy this," Victoria murmured.

Her tongue flicked out to taste my skin and she moaned. Her lips fastened on my neck and she began to suck the skin into her mouth. I cried out in pain as she sucked harder.

"I want to make sure you have my mark," Victoria sneered.

I gasped as the pain slowly faded. The pack was so close. Just a little bit longer.

"I don't know why those lousy excuses for vampires kept you human. It would've been so much kinder to turn you. Or just kill you. I can promise, you won't like death at my hand," Victoria taunted.

I started struggling against her hold. The pack was less than a football field away by now. Her fingers dug further into my flesh, not doubt leaving bruises.

"How about a little taste, hmm?" Victoria suggested, leaning down to my neck again.

There was a sudden roar as the pack sprang from the woods. Victoria let out a screech as one of them landed on her. She let go of me to grab hold of the wolf's fur. As I slid down against the nearest tree, she threw the wolf off and darted around in a circle, attempting to find a way out.

"NO!" Victoria screeched, slashing at one of the wolves.

The wolves snarled and lunged at her all at once. In a matter of moments, Victoria was in pieces and her body was burning, filling the air with her sweet smell. I stared at the fire in a daze as the wolves quickly surrounded me. I felt the air change as one of them phased. A moment later, I was lifted into strong, warm arms and being kissed with so much passion that my head spun.

"Bella," Jake breathed, kissing every inch of skin he could reach.

"Jake," I whispered, hugging him tightly.

"I can't believe I almost lost you," Jake whimpered, holding me tighter.

I didn't answer. All the energy that had been racing through me for the past thirty minutes was depleting. I knew I was losing my grip on the pack mind and struggled to hold on.

It was no use. My mind couldn't maintain the connection. Everything faded as my body shut down to heal.

* * *

_Beep… Beep… Beep…_

The incessant beeping was driving me crazy. I was tired and it kept interrupting my sleep. I reached over, attempting to smack my alarm into oblivion, but came up short. There was nothing beside my bed, but air.

"Bells? Bella?"

I groggily opened my eyes and saw Charlie leaning over me. I frowned up at him, wondering why he was in my bedroom. His face suddenly broke out in relief and tears welled up in his eyes. I felt my own widen in alarm as he hugged me.

"Thank God, you're okay. You've gotta stop doing this to me, Bells. There's only so much your old man can take," Charlie chuckled, holding me tightly.

It was then that I noticed I was in a hospital. Again. I groaned and thumped my head against the pillow.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled.

"Jake told me what happened. You are grounded. Forever," Charlie glared.

"What? Why?" I asked.

"Because you didn't tell me about this… thing that was after you," Charlie hissed.

I looked up at him with wide eyes.

"Dad, I was trying to protect you," I argued.

"I'm the Chief of Police, Bells. I think I can protect myself," Charlie scoffed.

"Not against these, Dad. Bullets won't hurt them. Neither will knives. The only thing that can defeat them is a werewolf or another vampire," I explained.

Charlie paled slightly, but didn't relent.

"You still should have told me."

"I'm sorry, Dad. Next time I have some crazy vampire stalker set on killing me, I'll tell you, okay?" I appeased him.

His face lost even more color and he actually looked like he was going to faint.

"Dad, I'm kidding! I have no intention of getting any other vampire set on killing me," I sighed.

He grunted and sat in the chair beside my bed. I looked around the room and frowned when I didn't see Jake.

"Dad, wh-"

"He's in the cafeteria. I finally forced him to leave about an hour ago. He'll be back soon. He can barely stand to be away from you," Charlie smirked.

I knew he was pleased with the idea of Jake and I. I just hadn't known how pleased until right this moment.

"Speaking of food, I'm gonna go grab some. I haven't had anything to eat since dinner last night and that was barely anything. I'll come check on you again later, Bells," Charlie said.

He leaned over and kissed my forehead in a gruff manner. I felt tears well up in my eyes and hurried to wipe them away. Charlie grunted against and patted my shoulder before walking out of the room.

I waited, hoping Jake would arrive soon. I had missed him fiercely and my chest was aching at being away from him for so long. I had so many questions about Victoria and what had happened after I'd left.

My door creaked open and I looked over to see who was coming in. I smiled and held out my hand.

"Jake."

* * *

**Alright. Done for this chapter. Next chapter will be in Jake's point of view! Now, this is the first time I've ever done a kidnapped/torture scene using first person. I'm not really sure I like it… but I promised I'd be updating, so here it is! Hope you enjoyed!! I'll see you guys again soon!!**


	13. Chapter 13: The Guilt

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Thirteen

Jake's POV

I stared down at the unidentifiable cafeteria food on my plate. I sighed and pushed it away, leaning back in my chair.

"You need to eat," Leah scolded, pushing the food back towards me.

I just shook my head and looked around. There weren't many people in the cafeteria besides Leah and myself. The rest of the pack was hanging around in the waiting room. We were all hoping to hear good news from the doctors, but Bella had been unconscious for nearly a week. It wasn't looking good.

"She's going to be alright, Jake. But if you don't start eating, _you_ won't be," Leah continued.

"Leah, just drop it. Please," I sighed, looking at her.

"Fine. Don't blame me when you fall over from lack of food," Leah grumbled and stood up.

She walked away, leaving me alone. Blessed silence.

I placed my head in my hands and squeezed my eyes shut. My heart throbbed painfully and I struggled against running through the halls to Bella's room. I needed to be with her, but Charlie had threatened to kick me out permanently if I didn't get something to eat. I couldn't let him bar me from her room. I was pretty sure I'd be locked in the psyche ward if he did.

God, this had been the worse week of my life.

Bella and I never should've left Forks Sunday. I knew Victoria was getting braver. Hell, she'd almost had Bella at the beach on Saturday. We shouldn't have tested Fate so soon after.

* * *

_Flashback: Sunday morning_

I was fuming as I left Sam's house.

I had found Victoria's scent around Bella's house that morning when I left. I'd immediately called in back up, but we hadn't found anything. Just another trail to the ocean. The only place we couldn't follow the bloodsucker.

I slammed the door open and heard my dad saying I'd just walked in. He pulled the phone away from his ear and handed it to me.

"It's Bella," he explained.

I felt all my anger melt away and was instantly able to breathe easier. I smiled as I took the phone.

"Good morning, beautiful," I greeted huskily, grinning all the while.

She started telling me about how her friend, Angela, had invited her to Port Angeles. I tried not to let my worry creep into my voice. Maybe getting Bella out of Forks would be a good thing.

I laughed at her surprised tone when I said it might be fun. When she told me who all was going, I decided to add to the list. With Victoria snooping around, I didn't want to take any chances.

I hung up, telling her I'd see her soon. I picked the phone back up and dialed Quil's number.

"What up, dude?" Quil asked.

"You free to go to Port Angeles today?" I asked.

"Hell, yes! When we leaving?" Quil whooped.

"I need a shower. We're going with Bella and some of her friends from Forks," I told him.

"Aw, man! Bella Duty?" Quil grumbled.

"Shut up, man! Victoria is taking more risks. I don't want to send her anywhere alone. Now, call Embry and get him to agree. Seth and Leah are coming, too," I growled.

"Easy, there, Jake. I'm kidding, alright? Me and Em are in, no worries. See you in a sec," Quil said, hanging up the phone.

"Dad, I'm jumping in the shower then headed to Port Angeles with Bells and some of the guys," I called as I raced into the bathroom.

"Alright, son," Billy replied, his attention focused on the pre-game shows.

I hopped in the shower before the water even had time to warm up. I gritted my teeth against the cold and took the fastest shower I could, getting out just as the water started warming. I hurried into my bedroom and threw on the first thing my hands landed on; a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. I shoved my feet into sneakers and walked into the living room. Quil, Embry, Leah, and Seth were waiting, watching the TV with Billy.

"Let's go," I said, walking out the door.

I noticed Quil had brought his Cherokee.

"Seth, Leah, you're with me and Bella," I called, walking to my Rabbit.

"Yes, master," Leah glared, climbing into the back.

I ignored her and back out of the driveway.

_End Flashback_

* * *

I never should have agreed. If I had said no and told her Victoria was too close, she wouldn't be upstairs, unconscious in that hospital bed. I should have stuck to my original plan and have us hang around La Push all day. Then she would have been safe.

I sighed and ran my hands through my hair, growling slightly at the thought of Victoria. It was too bad that bitch was dead because I had the sudden urge to kill her all over again. She had crossed way too many lines Sunday.

* * *

_Flashback: Shooting Range_

I stiffened as the sickening sweet scent drifted into my nose. I saw Quil, Embry, and Seth straighten and knew they smelled it too.

"Hey, guys. We're going to get some air," I said, trying to stay calm.

"Sure, thing, man," Tyler nodded, loading his gun.

I got out of there before I did something stupid, like phase. Quil, Embry, and Seth were right behind me. We round the building, following her disgusting smell. I backed up on instinct as soon as we came into the alley.

Victoria was standing a few yards away, smiling.

"Where's your bitch, puppy?" She sneered.

I growled and lunged for her.

Before I was even close, she laughed and flitted away. I went to race after her, but Embry's hand on my shoulder stopped me.

"Wait, Jake! We need to find Bella," Embry said, pulling me back.

I closed my eyes, struggling to gain control of myself. I turned sharply and walked back to the front of the shooting range. Mike, Ben, Tyler, and Eric were standing outside looking for us. We walked right up to them.

"We have to find Bella," I told them through clenched teeth.

"Why? What's wrong?" Mike asked, worried.

I stopped. What the hell was I supposed to tell them?

"Bella has a stalker, Victoria. She hates Bella and is seriously intent on killing her. We just saw her down that alley. If she knows where Bella is, she'll try to kill her," Seth explained quickly.

I applauded him silently. All four of their faces became horrified.

"I'll call Angela and see where they are," Ben offered, pulling out his phone.

I watched the phone as he dialed his girlfriend's number. I prayed she'd answer and let me talk to Bella. I needed to hear her voice and know that she was okay. I waited, glaring at the phone as it rang.

"Damn," Ben muttered when Angela's voicemail came on.

_No!_

"Ang, call me back. It's an emergency," Ben said before hanging up.

"What do we do now?" Eric asked.

"I say we head back to the cars. If they aren't there at the meet time, we'll go looking for them. How many book stores could there be in Port Angeles anyway?" Tyler chuckled.

That's not what I wanted to do. I wanted to go looking for Bella now. Quil and Embry restrained me though.

"Jake, calm down. You can't phase," Quil muttered, leading me towards the theaters.

I growled at him, unable to hold it back while thinking about Bella being hurt.

"She'll be alright, Jake. Leah's with her. She'll be able to tell if Victoria gets too close," Seth assured me.

I relaxed a little.

Seth was right. Leah would know if Victoria was around. I let out a breath as we arrived at the cars. We only had about fifteen minutes to wait, but it felt like forever until I saw Bella hurrying towards me.

_End Flashback_

* * *

I had been so relieved to see Bella, nothing else had mattered. I'd wanted to grab her, throw her in the car, and drive as far away from Port Angeles as I could. Instead, I had stayed, going to the movies and dinner.

And she'd been taken.

I doubled over in pain as the guilt washed over me. I should've kept a better eye on her. I shouldn't have let her and Jessica go alone. I should've noticed Jessica was being controlled. I should've done a lot of things. Because I hadn't, Bella might not ever wake up.

I growled when I heard someone come up behind me. I didn't want to be bothered right now. I wanted to wallow in self-pity and pain at the thought of losing my Bella.

"She's awake, son."

My head jerked up to see Charlie smiling down at me. I stood up too fast, knocking the chair over.

"She's awake?" I asked, almost too afraid to believe.

Charlie nodded and clapped me on the shoulder.

"She's waiting for you," Charlie added.

"Thanks, Chief," I said, already walking away.

I had to force myself not to run the whole way to her room, but I glared and cursed the slow speed of the elevator. When I finally landed on her floor, I was bombarded by the pack. They'd all heard she was awake and wanted to share the excitement with me. I shoved past them, determined to see her.

I paused when I reached her door, unsure as to whether or not I wanted to go in and risk seeing her lying there with her eyes closed. I took a deep breath and opened the door, making sure to keep my eyes on the ground, just in case.

The familiar sound of her heart beat reached me and I closed my eyes, thanking God that she was still alive and here with me. I stayed by the door, slowly closing it, waiting.

"Jake."

I exhaled sharply hearing the most beautiful sound in the entire world; Bella's voice. I looked up at her to find her looking at me, her left hand extended towards me. In the blink of an eye, I was by her side, holding tightly to that hand. Her beautiful brown eyes smiled up at me and I was lost.

"Oh, God, Bella," I choked as tears started rolling down my face.

I gathered her up into my arms and just held her. I was so relieved she was awake and alive. I trembled in her arms while she tried to sooth me.

"Shh, Jake. It's alright. I'm here. I'm here," she whispered, kissing my cheek and neck.

I took a deep breath and reveled in the smell of her skin. There was nothing like it anywhere. I couldn't believe I'd almost lost this, lost her. I tightened my arms around her, unable to let go. I was terrified that if I let go, she'd fade away from me.

Bella seemed to understand and held onto me just as fiercely. I could feel her own tears mingling with mine and tried to get a hold of myself. Bella needed me to be the strong one. I pulled back and ran my fingers through her hair, bringing her face up to mine. She blinked up at me, her eyes soft with understanding.

"Bella," I murmured, kissing her.

I was trying to be gentle, afraid of hurting her in her fragile state. I placed a kiss on her cheeks, her eyelids, her nose, her chin, her lips. Her mouth opened willingly beneath mine and I groaned at her uniquely sweet taste. She wrapped her arms around me, pulling herself closer and I couldn't stop.

I had been so worried about her, afraid I was never going to see her smile, hear her laugh, taste her kiss. All of it was brought out as I kissed her. I couldn't get enough. I knew I was probably being a little too rough, but Bella didn't seem to mind. In fact, she was writhing beneath me, begging for more.

I broke the kiss and stared down at her. Her eyes slowly opened to look at me, confused as to why I'd stopped. I sighed and hid my face in her neck.

"I've missed you," Bella said softly.

I choked on a laugh and brought myself up to look at her.

"Bells, you can't keep doing this to me. I can't take it," I rasped.

"I'm sorry," Bella smiled, running her fingers through my hair.

I leaned into her hand and watched her face. Her cheeks had a healthy glow to them and her eyes were sparkling as she watched me. Compared to how she had been an hour ago, it was a miracle. Her skin was no longer sallow and her skin was warm to the touch.

"I love you," I told her, taking her hand and kissing it.

"I love you, too," Bella whispered.

There was nothing better than hearing those words from her mouth. They were the sweetest words ever uttered.

I leaned down to give her another kiss, this one just a brief meeting of our lips. She smiled when I pulled away and it lit up my entire world. I couldn't help, but smile back at her.

"How are you?" Bella asked, tracing her fingers across my face.

I laughed and sat down beside her on the bed.

"You're the one who has been unconscious for a week and you're asking me how _I_ am?" I asked.

"Well, yeah," Bella smiled.

"I'm much better now that you're awake," I admitted, shaking my head at her.

"You look awful," Bella contradicted.

"Well, thanks," I chuckled sarcastically.

"You do. Have you been sleeping any?" Bella asked, her fingers lingering under my eyes.

"No," I sighed, knowing there was no way to get her off her tangent.

"You should sleep. When's the last time you had a decent meal?" She continued.

"I just got back from the cafeteria," I grinned.

"Did you actually eat anything?" Bella asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Maybe a bite or two," I hedged.

"Jacob Black, what am I going to do with you?" Bella exhaled, shaking her head.

"Love me," I replied softly.

Her eyes glistened when they found mine and I felt myself falling under her spell.

"I already do," she whispered.

* * *

I was lying in bed with Bella as she traced designs on my chest. She had told me to go to sleep, but I wasn't going to waste time spent with her sleeping.

"Tell me what happened after I was taken," she insisted.

I tensed and my arms tightened around her. She shushed me and rubbed my chest soothingly. I settled back down and kissed the top of her head. She sighed and curled up closer to my warmth.

"You already know I was running to get you. When I felt her knock you out, I almost phased in the middle of the street. I saw Jessica walking down the sidewalk and ran to her, thinking she knew where you were. She just looked at me like she didn't even know who I was. It was creepy. When I asked about you, she had no idea what I was talking about. Quil came and took her away while I continued to the alleyway, thinking you might still be there.

"There wasn't so much as a scent trail. I searched everywhere, but you were gone. Embry called Sam who had to actually drive to Port Angeles to make me come home. I didn't want to leave if there was any chance that you were somewhere in the city, but I couldn't disobey an Alpha command.

"The police got involved and everyone made a statement. We left Jessica out of it. She didn't know what she was doing, honey. If she had, she wouldn't have had to worry about the police getting her. I would've taken care of her myself," I growled.

"Jake!" Bella gasped, pulling away from me.

"Bella, she threatened your life. _No one_ gets away with threatening your life," I glared.

Her eyes softened and she reached up to kiss me. I was losing myself in the taste and feel of her when she pulled away.

"Keep going," she said breathlessly.

I smirked arrogantly, knowing I affected her just as strongly as she affected me. The smirk fell off my face quickly once I started back on my story.

"You were gone for two days before you connected with Jared. Everyone was frantic, looking for you, assuming the worse. I… I was… not myself during those two days, Bells. I could barely contain myself. I spent most of the time in wolf form because it was easier to deal with the pain. I was so sure I'd lost you forever."

I had to stop as my emotions got the better of me. Bella's hand on my chest and her body pressed against mine reminded me that she was here, safe in my arms. I swallowed past the lump in my throat and continued.

"When Jared called for us, I thought the worse. I knew it had to do with you and I thought they'd… found your… body somewhere. I phased and listened while they all argued about what was happening. I can't even explain to you the absolute relief I felt when I heard you inside my head, honey.

"You know what happened after that. We were able to find you and kill Victoria. When you passed out, though, I thought I was going to lose you for real. You'd lost more blood than any of us had realized. I don't think you even knew you were hurt. Your wrists were completely torn up. Sam wasn't sure you'd even make it to the hospital.

"As soon as I got you here, you were taken into ICU. They pumped you full of blood and did something for your wrists. You were so pale, Bells. They told us there wasn't much they could do. There weren't any major injuries, just massive blood loss. And then they couldn't get you to wake up. You were fine, you just wouldn't wake up. They thought it was because of the trauma you'd experienced, but they couldn't be sure. Charlie and I have basically been living in these chairs, waiting for you to wake up and the pack's been living in the waiting room. We're all very well known amongst the doctors and nurses now. I think they'll miss us when we're gone." I finished teasingly.

I looked down at Bella to see her crying. I hurried to wipe her tears away.

"Hey, now. What's wrong?" I asked, frowning.

"I'm so sorry. I knew there was something wrong with Jessica, but I went anyway. And all of you have been so worried about me. I feel awful!" Bella cried, clutching my chest.

I was in complete shock. Only Bella could claim that having some psycho vampire intent on killing her was her fault.

"Honey, none of this is your fault. It's all that bloodsucker's," I murmured, smoothing out her hair.

She continued sobbing against me, clutching my shirt in her hands. I held her tightly and repeatedly told her it wasn't her fault.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled sleepily.

"It's alright, honey. You've had a rough week. Why not rest your eyes for a bit and go to sleep?" I suggested, settling her more comfortably against me.

"Will you sleep too?" Bella asked.

"Sure, sure," I grinned.

Bella smiled and closed her eyes. Her breathing started evening out and I watched the rise and fall of her shoulders. I brushed a few strands of hair away from her face, marveling at the beauty in my arms. I couldn't believe how lucky I was to have her here with me. Having her love was the greatest thing in the world and I couldn't believe Edward had ever wanted to give her up.

"Jake. Sleep," Bella grumbled, slapping me weakly.

I chuckled and closed my eyes. My girl was relentless.

I found it easy to relax with Bella sleeping beside me and was asleep before I knew it.

* * *

**Ugh! I know it's short, but it's the best I could do. I covered everything I needed to, I hope. Next chapter will be back to Bella's point of view. A little teaser of information, the Cullens will be returning soon!! And, anyone remember Afton? Hmm? Well, remember the female vampire the wolves didn't catch? That'll be coming up again soon as well!! See you guys next chapter!!**


	14. Chapter 14: A New Scent

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Fourteen

I woke up before Jake did. He was snoring softly, his head resting on top of mine. I smiled and kissed his neck. He snorted and shifted slightly before settling back down. I chuckled as his snoring picked back up.

"I'm amazed you've been able to sleep so long with that going on in your ear," Charlie teased.

I looked over to see him sitting in the chair beside the bed. I smiled at him and yawned.

"It's not that loud, Dad," I replied.

"Loud enough," Charlie grinned.

"You're louder," I smirked.

Charlie gave me a surprised look before throwing his head back and laughing. Jake started and awake up.

"Wha happened?" Jake mumbled, rubbing his face.

"You were asleep," I told him.

"I knew that," Jake snorted, rolling his eyes at me.

"Oh! You meant what woke you up. Dad," I smiled, looking up at him.

Jake's eyes darted to where Charlie was sitting and I noticed a faint blush beneath his skin. I giggled and kissed the bottom of his chin. He moved to get out of the bed, but I held fast to him.

"Bells. Your dad," Jake whined, trying to pull away.

"Don't bother, Jake. I've been here for at least an hour," Charlie informed us.

Jake groaned softly, but still moved to get out of bed. This time I let him. He took up his familiar seat on the opposite side of Charlie. I reached out my hand and smiled at him when he took it.

"You should've woken us up, Dad," I scolded.

"You guys needed the sleep," Charlie shrugged, leaning back in his chair.

"Have you asked the doctor when I can go home?" I asked, sitting up a little.

"Not today, Bells," Charlie frowned.

I groaned and fell back against the pillows.

"How long?" I pressed.

"Maybe tomorrow. Definitely by Saturday," Charlie promised.

"Fine," I grumbled.

"Hey, I know what'll cheer you up," Jake grinned and stood up.

I watched as he walked out of the room. I looked to Charlie when the door closed behind him, but he just shrugged.

"Don't look at me," Charlie said.

I frowned and waited, watching the door for Jake. He was gone maybe five minutes when the door opened again and was suddenly filled with every member of the pack. They all rushed in, eager to see me. I laughed as Quil shoved Seth out of the way to sit at the foot of my bed.

"Hey, guys!" I greeted, scooting up to give them more room.

"Hey, Bells!" Seth cried, jumping forward to wrap me in a hug.

I glanced quickly at Jake to see him watching Seth through narrowed eyes. I patted Seth on the back quickly and pulled away.

"Good to see you, too, Seth," I smiled.

Seth frowned at me. He followed my gaze to Jake and paled.

"Oh. Sorry, Jake. I-I forgot," Seth mumbled, backing away from me.

"It's alright, Seth. It's me who's sorry," Jake forced out.

He was shaking slightly, but taking deep breaths to keep himself calm. I reached out a hand towards him and he gripped it firmly. I gave him a quick squeeze before turning my attention back to the pack.

"How do you feel, Bella?" Sam asked, worried.

"I'm good, Sam. Thanks," I assured him.

He nodded and turned to talk to Charlie. I smiled at Leah as she took Jake's previous seat.

"Still mad at me, Leah?" I asked.

"I was never mad at you, Bella," Leah scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, yeah? Sure sounded like it when you were calling me a bitch," I teased.

"Puh-lease! I was just trying to get your anger going, adrenaline pumping, all that jazz," Leah waved off, crossing her legs.

I laughed at her nonchalant manner. Jake was glaring at her, still a little miffed about Leah bad mouthing me. I tugged his arm and he looked at me.

"Stop glaring," I scolded.

He huffed and shook his head, but he was smiling again. Quil make a whipping sound at the end of the bed. Jake snapped his teeth at him, but Quil just laughed. I pulled my foot back and jammed it into his hip. He jumped up with a yelp.

"Bella!" Quil whined, rubbing his hip.

The entire pack erupted in laughter. Embry quickly took Quil's place and settled on the bed. Quil glared at him, but Embry just gave him a cheeky grin.

"Snooze you lose, man," Embry shrugged.

I laughed as Quil leaned against the wall, continuing to glare at the bed.

"It's okay, Quil. I still love you, even if Embry doesn't," I cooed.

Quil grinned and shot me a wink. Jake reached over and slapped him in the back of the head.

"Damn it, Jake!" Quil shouted, rubbing the back of his head.

"You look really good, Bella," Jared spoke up while the others fought.

"Thanks, Jared. For everything," I murmured, smiling up at him.

"I'd say anytime, but…" Jared teased, trailing off.

I laughed and agreed with him.

"Yeah, I don't think I want a repeat anytime soon."

"Thank God for that," Paul laughed, slapping Jared on the back.

I relaxed against my pillow and listened as the pack talked around me. I felt something settle inside of me that had been disquieted since I'd been taken. I wondered at the feeling before realizing it was the pack.

I'd been worried about them for nearly a week, even if I hadn't been conscious. My Omega abilities had known I wasn't near them and had reacted accordingly. I sighed contently as everything clicked into place with my family around me.

* * *

Charlie was right and I went home Saturday morning. As soon as the doctor signed my papers, I was out the door.

"Angela stopped by and dropped off your work from this week. You're gonna have to work hard to keep those grades up," Charlie warned.

"Don't worry, Dad. It's not like I have much else to do," I sighed, looking out the car window.

"I'll pick up dinner at the diner tonight and bring it home. I don't want you cooking just yet. That'll give you more time to work on your school work," Charlie suggested.

"Thanks," I smiled, leaning against the headrest.

Charlie pulled into the driveway and parked the car. I reached over to open my door, but he stopped me.

"I've got to go into work today, Bells. I'll be home later," Charlie said.

"Alright. Be careful," I nodded, stepping outside.

"It's just paperwork. Jake will be over soon," Charlie called as he backed out of the driveway.

I waved over my shoulder and walked up the front steps. I heaved a sigh of relief as I walked into the house. Everything was quiet. I was finally alone.

For the past two days, Charlie and Jake had been hovering over me, making sure I was comfortable and not over doing it. I was glad I had some time to myself.

Deciding a shower was in order, I walked upstairs and grabbed some clothes out of my room. I knew I wasn't going anywhere today, so I picked up a pair of pajama bottoms and one of Jake's t-shirts. I smiled as I walked into the bathroom, thinking about Jake.

While he'd been driving me up the wall the past two days, I still loved him to distraction. He had tried to give me some space when he felt I needed it, but he normally just waited outside the room in case something happened. I was hoping he'd cool off now that I was out of the hospital.

As I passed by the mirror, I glanced up and gasped.

There was a dark bruise on my neck that I hadn't noticed while in the hospital. I remembered Victoria sucking the skin into her mouth and winced. I touched it gently, hissing at the painful prickles that erupted. That wouldn't be going away anytime soon, but at least I didn't have any teeth marks.

I jumped into the shower and washed the hospital out of my hair and off my body, luxuriating in the hot water. I stayed in the shower until the water started running cold. After drying off and slipping into my lazy clothes, I walked into my room to see the stacks of papers Angela had dropped off on my desk.

I sorted through them, prioritizing them as I did. Knowing I only had today and tomorrow to work on them, I started in on the first pile.

It was an hour later that the doorbell rang.

I groaned and stood up, stretching as I did. I ruffled my hair as I walked downstairs, yawning on the way down. I looked through the window and saw Jake standing outside.

"Hey, Jake," I greeted, opening the door for him.

"Hey, honey. How you feeling?" Jake asked, kissing my cheek as he came inside.

"Alright. Tired, I guess. I've been doing some make-up work for school while Charlie's gone," I informed him

"Mmm. Sounds like fun," Jake grinned.

"So much," I agreed sarcastically.

"Don't feel the need to stop on my account. I just didn't want you home alone. You keep working, I'll watch some TV," Jake offered, already moving into the living room.

"Gee, thanks," I huffed, walking back upstairs.

"Anytime," Jake laughed, plopping down on the couch.

I shook my head and continued up the stairs. My Jake was something else.

* * *

"So, Bells, you get much done today?" Charlie asked as we sat at the kitchen table, eating dinner.

"Yep. About half of my work. Jake here just watched TV all day," I accused, pointing a fry at him.

"What? What else was I going to do?" Jake asked, laughing.

"You could've offered to help," I pointed out.

"Psh! Trust me, you wouldn't have wanted my help," Jake denied, shaking his head.

"Maybe. Now, we'll never know," I sighed, eating my fry.

Jake laughed again and shoved a bite of his burger into his mouth. I rolled my eyes and turned back to Charlie.

"How was work? Get caught up on all your files?" I asked.

"Yep. Didn't take too long," Charlie nodded.

"Good. Are you going in tomorrow?" I asked.

"No. If the weather's nice, Billy, Harry, and I were going to go fishing. Haven't been in a while," Charlie sighed.

"Sounds like a plan," I agreed.

"You should come to La Push tomorrow night, Bells. We're having a bon fire," Jake informed me.

"Of course, I'll be there," I grinned.

As if he even needed to ask. I was always up for a bon fire. Especially when it meant I got to spend some time with my extended family.

"Patrols have been slowing down now that Victoria's taken care of, but we're still going to run occasionally to be on the safe side," Jake answered.

Apparently, I had missed Charlie's question about the wolves' patrol schedule while thinking about the pack.

"You two just better not keep something like that from me again," Charlie warned, glaring at both of us.

"We won't, Dad," I promised, reaching over to give his arm a squeeze.

Charlie grunted and kept eating.

The conversation became lighter after that. Jake and Charlie debated about sports while I listened in. I didn't understand the majority of what they were talking about, but it was nice to just watch them interact with each other. I smiled at Jake let out a loud laugh, throwing his head back and closing his eyes. Charlie was chuckling lightly at whatever they were talking about.

I felt warmth spread through me, starting from my center and spreading outward. I knew it was because two of the most important people in my life were with me, safe and happy. It was all an Omega could ask for.

* * *

Monday morning was difficult.

From the time I arrived at school, I was instantly surrounded. Mike, Tyler, and Eric were waiting by my parking space. I frowned in confusion as I hopped out of my truck.

"What's up, guys?" I asked, slinging my bag over my shoulder.

"Nothing much. How you feeling?" Mike asked, leaning against my bumper.

"Pretty good. These wrappings are a pain," I grumbled, holding up my wrists.

"Jake told us you actually pulled the chains out of the wall," Tyler said, clearly impressed.

"Yeah. A little rust and adrenaline will do that," I chuckled nervously.

"The whole school's going to be talking about it," Mike pointed out.

"I know," I groaned, dropping my head back.

"Bella!"

I turned to see Angela running towards me, a huge smile on her face. She flung her arms around me in a hug.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Angela cried.

"Me too, Ang," I laughed, patting her back.

"Are you alright?" Angela asked, pulling away and looking me over.

"I'm fine," I assured her.

"I can't believe what happened. And while you were with us. I know you didn't even want to go, but I made you. I am so sorry," Angela blubbered.

"Ang, it's fine. I don't blame you. None of us thought she'd show up," I comforted her.

"Still…" Angela frowned.

"Angela! Stop, okay. If it hadn't happened then, it would've happened at another time. Stop worrying about it," I scolded.

Angela sighed and flashed me a hesitant smile. I groaned and shook my head at her, but was smiling.

"Come on. Let's go to class," I sighed, walking towards the school.

"Did you get all your work done?" Angela asked as the guys followed behind, talking amongst themselves.

"Yeah, thanks for bringing it over," I grinned.

"It was the least I could do," Angela shrugged.

I shushed her and laughed as we walked into the building. We hung out by our lockers for a few minutes before the first bell rang.

"See you at lunch," I called, heading to first period.

* * *

By the end of the day, I was done. I was furious at the entire student body at Forks High. The rumors that were flying around were outrageous. Some thought I had tried to commit suicide and that's why my wrists were bandaged. Others thought my stalker had raped me and the wrappings were from being tied to a bed. Still others thought I joined a gang and it was all part of the initiation. The last one actually made me laugh when I heard it.

When the final bell rang, I was immediately out the doors and hurrying to my truck. I stopped on the other side of the parking lot and groaned.

Embry was waiting for me by my truck.

"What are you doing here, Em?" I asked when I came closer.

"Something came up and I'm taking you to Sam's," Embry said cryptically.

"What happened?" I asked, instantly on alert.

Embry tightened his jaw and I knew Sam had given him an Alpha command not to tell me. I also knew I could break the command and likely already had. Embry was struggling between obeying his Alpha and obeying his Omega.

"It's okay, Embry. You don't have to tell me," I assured him quickly.

Sweat had started to break out on his brow and I knew he was close to phasing. If Sam thought it was better that I find out what was going on later, he had a good reason.

As soon as the words were out of my mouth, Embry relaxed and fell against my truck. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Thanks, Bella. Trust me, you'll want to wait for Sam," Embry vowed, opening the door for me.

I climbed inside, throwing my book bag into the back on my way in. Embry hurried around to the passenger side and climbed in.

"We're getting looks," Embry chuckled, throwing his arm around my shoulders.

I looked around and saw that many of my classmates were watching Embry and I as I pulled out of the parking lot. I laughed and knew they were wondering what had happened to Jake and why I was with Embry instead.

"Move your arm, Em," I warned, smiling all the while.

"Uh. That's right. You're taken," Embry groaned, looking dejected.

"Sorry," I shrugged.

"S'alright, I guess," Embry grumbled.

I laughed as we headed towards Forks county line.

"So, tell me some of the things going on around La Push," I encouraged.

"Well… Quil imprinted," Embry grimaced.

"Really? On who?" I asked, eyes wide.

"Emily's niece," Embry said cautiously.

"Why do you say it like that?" I asked, frowning.

"She's two."

I nearly ran us off the road. _Two?_ That was really young!

"Easy, Bella," Embry warned, reaching over to steady the wheel.

"_Two_?" I choked.

"Yeah. It was a little shocking. Don't worry, though. It's not like you and Jake or Sam and Emily or Jared and Kim. Quil doesn't look at her that way yet. There's nothing romantic or sexual about it. Right now, Quil's going to be the greatest babysitter in the world. No toddler in the whole world will be as looked after as Claire," Embry explained.

"But, two?" I couldn't get over the age.

"Yes, Bella. Two. You know. It comes before three and after one," Embry teased.

"Shut up. It's a shock," I snapped, slapping him.

"I know. No one was more surprised than Quil, though," Embry sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

"I'm sure," I agreed as we crossed into La Push.

"Does Claire live close by?" I asked.

I knew Jake and I couldn't go a day without seeing each other. I guessed the same went for Sam and Emily as well as Jared and Kim. It was physically painful to be away from our imprints.

"Close enough," Embry shrugged.

I nodded, relieved that Quil wouldn't have to go through the pain of not being able to see his imprint.

"Ready?" Embry asked as I pulled into Sam's driveway.

"I guess," I breathed as I put the truck in park.

Embry waited as I got out of the truck and we walked up to the front door together. I could hear the rest of the pack inside, laughing. I was glad to hear them happy, but it didn't match Embry's reserved nature in the truck and at school.

As soon as we walked in, everyone got quiet. Everyone was sitting in their usual seats for the meetings. Paul and Jared flanked Sam with Quil sitting next to Paul. Embry would normally be sitting next to Jared. Seth and Leah sat against the wall across from the door. Jake was sitting on the love seat, our usual place, but he jumped up when he saw me.

"Bells, how was school?" Jake asked, coming to take my hand.

"Alright," I answered, giving him a curious look.

"Come sit down. Sam has some news," Jake said, pulling me back towards the love seat.

I sat down beside him and looked at the pack. Everyone was watching me, all of them looking worried.

"What's going on?" I asked.

I could tell something was horribly wrong and it scared me. Was something wrong with the pack?

"Bella, we picked up a scent last night," Sam informed me.

"Where?" I asked, my eyes wide.

If there was a new vampire in town, we were in trouble. We had just managed to get rid of Victoria. Were we really going to have to deal with a new threat so soon?

"Close to the border. Bella… it was one we recognized," Sam stated, staring me straight in the eyes.

I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and glanced at Jake. He was glaring at the floor, his jaw tense. I gripped his hand and he looked up at me. I didn't like the tortured look in his eyes. It gave me an even worse feeling. I closed my eyes and asked Sam the question I knew had to be asked.

"Who?"

Sam paused and I looked over at him, terrified of his answer. He waited until I met his gaze before answering.

"The Cullens."

* * *

**Alright! You all saw that coming, right? Sorry it's a little cliffy-ish, but this chapter is eleven pages already. **

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	15. Chapter 15: The Cullens

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Fifteen

I knew where I was, but I couldn't focus on anything. As soon as the name left Sam's lips, I shut down. It was my only defense mechanism against it. I was in complete and utter shock.

The Cullens were back.

_Why?_ What would make them come back? Why now?

I could hear people talking around me, but none of it made any sense. It was like a faint buzzing. There was no substance to the sound. I could feel pressure on my skin, but I couldn't tell how hard or soft the pressure was. I knew it was the pack because it was hot. All I could see were blurry shapes. Colors swirled around me, but refused to solidify.

SMACK!

My head whipped around and my hand flew up to my cheek. My eyes got wide as I looked at the lamp on the table beside the love seat.

Some one had just slapped me!

"WAKE UP, BELLA!"

I turned my wide eyed stare on Leah. She was standing above me, frowning furiously. The sound of growls reached me and I noticed Jake being restrained by Jared and Sam. He was struggling to get to Leah, snarling ferociously. Embry and Quil were trying to push him back and help Sam and Jared calm him down. Seth had his arms wrapped around Leah and was pulling her away from me. Paul was kneeling in front of me, trying to pry my hand away from my face.

"You hit me," I gasped, staring at Leah.

Everybody froze. There was a collective sigh of relief as they realized I had come back. Leah smirked, obviously pleased with herself.

"Yes, I did," she preened.

"You actually hit me," I said, still shocked.

"Well, none of these pansies were going to do anything. Someone had to," Leah snorted, glaring at the guys.

Jake had finally broken out of Sam and Jared's grasp and was kneeling in front of me where Paul had just been. He took hold of my hands and searched my face, his own completely miserable.

"Bells. Talk to me," Jake pleaded softly.

I looked at him and I felt the shocked look fall off my face to be replaced by one of concern.

"What's wrong?" I asked, cupping his cheek with my hand.

He leaned into it and brought up one of his hands to hold mine to his face. He was watching me cautiously, waiting for me to say something, but I didn't know what that something was.

"How… Are you… What's going through your head?" Jake finally asked.

"I'm just surprised. I didn't think they'd ever come back," I declared, shaking my head.

"Is… Is that all?" Jake pressed.

"Well, I'm a little pissed off. I mean, he promised me they would never come back, but here they are. But, I'm happy, too. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't missed them," I confessed.

I would never lie to Jake about anything. He deserved to know the truth and the truth was what I'd give him. No matter what.

Hurt flashed across his face briefly, but he hid it quickly.

"Do you… Are you going to go back to them?" Jake asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.

I gaped at him, shocked and hurt that he would ever consider that.

"Jake! Are you insane?" I growled.

Jake just looked at me, waiting for my answer. I took both his hands in mine and stared in straight in the eye.

"Never. This is my pack, too. I could _never_ abandon them. I could never abandon _you_. You're the love of my life, Jacob Black. _Nothing_ will _ever_ change that," I vowed.

Jake searched my eyes for any signs of doubt or indecision. I knew the moment he actually believed me because his entire face lit up and he stood, pulling me into his arms. He laughed and spun me around, placing kisses everywhere he could reach.

"Thank you!" Jake shouted to the ceiling.

I laughed and pulled him down for a kiss. He was grinning against my lips and I couldn't help, but smile myself. I broke the kiss and gave him a mock stern look.

"Don't you ever go doubting me again, Jacob Black, or you'll regret it!" I warned, shaking my finger at him.

"I promise you, I won't," Jake laughed, kissing me again.

"Get a room!" Leah called.

Jake and I broke apart, smiling wide.

"I love you," Jake said.

"Good," I grinned.

"Wrong words, Bells," Jake scolded.

"What are the right words?" I asked in mock innocence.

"The same words I just said," Jake informed me.

"'Wrong words, Bells'?" I laughed, tilting my head.

"Haha, very funny," Jake glared, grinning.

I laughed and threw my arms around his neck.

"I love you, too," I gave in.

"Thank God for that!" Quil cried.

The atmosphere had drastically changed in the last ten minutes. I grinned as we all took our seats around the living room again, preparing to continue the meeting.

"So, what happens now?" I asked.

"We have a meeting with the Cullens to discuss why they've come back and go from there. I've already called Carlisle and set up a meeting in the clearing where we found you and the human bloodsucker that night," Sam explained.

"When?" Jake asked.

"Tonight. I want this taken care of as soon as possible. We'll go right after sunset, so be ready," Sam instructed.

"Do they know about me?" I asked, biting my lip.

"No. That's not something to be explained over the phone. Besides, you are no longer their business," Sam frowned.

"Sam-" I started.

"Bella, I understand your relationship with them before they left, but, as you said earlier, you are part of the pack now," Sam interrupted.

"Yes, I am part of the pack. I'm meant to bring peace to the pack. I'm supposed to ease relations with our enemies. I have to have some form of a relationship with them in order to do that. It doesn't mean I will change where my loyalty lies," I stated.

"I'll think about it," Sam offered.

"That's all I ask," I said.

Sam nodded once before going back to pack business.

"Bella will remain in La Push until the time for the meeting. I don't want the Cullens to see her until then. They'll notice the changes in her and I'd rather have the pack there when it happens. We don't know how they'll react and she may need the pack protection. When we go to the clearing, Bella will be in the middle of the pack. She will be surrounded on all sides. Seth will be by her side at all times. Where she goes, he goes. No exceptions," Sam ordered.

Everyone nodded. I was surprised Sam didn't assign Leah to be my body guard. She normally was the one who stayed with me while the others took care of the threat. I glanced over at her to see her frowning at Sam. I knew she took her job as my personal protector very seriously. I wondered what was behind Sam's decision to make Seth guard me tonight.

Leah opened her mouth to say something, but Sam stopped her with a hand.

"I know what you're going to say, Leah. I need you to be in the circle. You're the fastest out of all of us. You'll be able to stop any potential problems before they get too close. Not that I'm expecting any problems," Sam assured me.

I nodded. It made sense, but Leah still looked miffed. She and I shared a look and I smiled at her. She rolled her eyes at me, but grinned a little in response.

"I guess I'll be the only one on two legs?" I asked, smiling as I looked back at Sam.

"Yes. With Edward and you being able to tap into the pack mind, there won't be any need for us to phase," Sam agreed.

"Sounds like a plan," I said, rubbing my hands together.

"Alright. Everyone meet back here about half an hour before sunset," Sam instructed, standing up.

Everyone dispersed, going to make arrangements for tonight. Jake took my hand and led me out to my truck.

"We'll call Charlie from my place and tell him what's happening. Depending on how late tonight runs, he may let you stay at my place tonight," Jake grinned, giving me a wink.

"Ha! You wish!" I snorted.

"You know it!" Jake laughed, wiggling his eyebrows.

I laughed at him as we headed towards his house to wait out the hours until sunset. I was surprised that the meeting didn't fill me with nerves at all. I had expected to be worried about seeing my used-to-be vampire family, but I was completely fine.

Jake squeezed my hand in reassurance. I looked up at him and realized he was the reason I was so calm. No matter what happened with the Cullens tonight, Jake would still be there for me in the morning.

* * *

Everyone was nervous as we stood outside Sam's house close to sunset. We were waiting for our marching orders and the wolves were having trouble staying still. The guys were rough housing and Leah kept rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet. Jake and Sam were the only ones not fidgeting. Sam was standing in front of the steps while Jake was beside me. He had my hand in a tight grip and I was pressed against his side. I was resting my head on his arm that was wrapped through my own.

I looked up at him and smiled. He looked so serious, all business. He was preparing himself for any situation that might come from tonight's meeting. I squeezed his hand and he looked down at me.

"Everything will be fine," I whispered.

Jake's eyes tightened and I knew he was worried about me. I tugged on his arm sharply, forcing him to pay attention to me.

"Everything will be fine," I repeated more fiercely.

Jake smiled tersely and nodded. His kissed the top of my head briefly, inhaling my scent. I sighed and leaned into him harder.

"I love you," Jake murmured, his voice strained.

"I love you," I replied, nuzzling into his arm.

"Alright, everyone. Time to head out. Jake, you'll carry Bella until we get to the edge of the clearing. Then, she'll dismount and we'll form the circle. Bella, be sure to keep yourself open to us," Sam instructed.

I nodded and followed as they walked towards the woods. I stopped at the edge and waited patiently for them to phase before walking into the dense foliage. Jake stepped forward and knelt before me. I smiled and climbed onto his back.

With a howl, they took off. I clung to Jake's fur, glorifying in the feel of the pack, running as one. I closed my eyes as the wind whipped across my face and through my hair.

_Open up, Bella,_ Sam said, reprimanding me slightly for not paying attention.

_Sorry, Sam,_ I grinned.

I focused on the pack mind through him and threw open the barriers. Everyone's thoughts were suddenly there for me to read. I laughed at the excitement that coursed through them all. They were all looking forward to a good confrontation.

_Don't get your hopes up, guys,_ I warned.

_Come on, Bella. You can't blame us for wanting some action with these assholes,_ Embry grumbled.

_Yeah. After what they did to you, they deserve some sort of retribution,_ Seth agreed.

_Wow. Big word there, Seth,_ Quil teased, laughing.

_Shut up, Quil. Just because you can't understand it, doesn't mean it's a big word,_ Leah snapped.

_Any word that has more than six letters is too big for Quil,_ Paul laughed.

_Good thing Claire's so young. He won't have to use any of his high artillery words until she's older,_ Embry added.

They were all laughing at him now, but Quil took it well. I was surprised until I realized he was thinking about Claire. It was amazing how innocent his thoughts were. He was thinking about taking her to the beach soon and playing in the waves, maybe making a sand castle.

_Game face, guys. We're here,_ Sam ordered.

Everyone stopped and I slid off of Jake's back. He pushed his nose into the crook of my neck and whined.

_Everything will be fine,_ I told him again.

All his thoughts were jumbled. He was terrified of something going wrong. He didn't want to lose me. He was scared I'd run back to Edward or that there would be a fight and I'd get hurt.

_Seth will keep me safe,_ I assured him.

_Yeah, Jake. I won't leave her side,_ Seth agreed, coming to stand by my side to emphasize his point.

_Anything happens to her and you're dead,_ Jake warned, showing Seth exactly what he would do if something happened to me.

Seth gulped and nodded.

_Ease up, Jake. Nothing's going to happen to me,_ I huffed, threading my fingers through his fur.

_Line up,_ Sam snapped.

We all moved into position. Seth settled in beside me with Leah on his other side. Paul was on my other side with Jared in front of him. Sam was in front with Jake on the opposite side as Jared. Quil and Embry brought up the rear.

I smiled as we walked forward because we all moved at exactly the same time. The pack mind had taken control and we were one mind in nine bodies. As we walked into the clearing, all eyes moved to the seven figures standing about halfway across the field. Sam led us over to them, stopping about twenty feet away.

I took my first look at my ex-family. Carlisle was standing in the front. His family stood beside him, Emmett, Rose and Edward on one side with Jasper, Alice, and Esme on the other.

Alice was somewhat difficult to look at. She and I had been so close when I was with Edward. She had been like a sister to me. I refused to look at Edward, simply on principle. I was still angry with him. I was surprised at how easy it was to look at the rest of them.

Sure, I had missed them and it had nearly killed me when they left, but they weren't my family any more; the pack was.

I could tell they were surprised to see me there. Edward actually made a move to come forward, but Emmett stuck out an arm to halt him. Jake growled and watched Edward with narrowed eyes. Seth bristled beside me, seeing the movement.

_Easy, Jake. He's not coming closer, _I soothed.

_I don't want to stay here over long. State your purpose for returning,_ Sam thought to Edward.

I looked over at Edward, waiting for him to translate for the others, but he didn't say anything. In fact, he was frowning as he looked at the wolves.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with us," Carlisle bowed his head in greeting.

_You're welcome. Now, tell us why you came back, _Sam insisted.

I frowned when Edward still didn't say anything. Carlisle glanced at Edward, questioning him silently.

"I can't hear them," Edward murmured, his eyes wide.

The surprise that ran throughout the pack nearly threw me back with the force of it. I gasped and clutched Seth's fur as it was. In a matter of seconds, the shock had worn off and the pack was all talking at once.

_Stop, stop, stop!_ I shouted.

They all got quiet.

_I'll translate,_ I sighed, struggling to get past all the emotions.

I glanced over at Jasper, wondering how he handled it.

_Ask them why they came back,_ Sam instructed.

"Why did you come back?" I asked, looking straight at Carlisle.

All the Cullens looked surprised when I spoke. I smiled a little; the pack was enjoying this a little too much.

"Bella. It is good to see you well," Carlisle said, smiling slightly.

_Stick to the questions, Bella. You can catch up later,_ Sam ordered.

Jake growled at the thought, but otherwise kept quiet. He knew there was no threat of me leaving him for Edward.

"I'm sorry, Carlisle. We'll have to save the pleasantries. Sam wants to know why you came back," I pushed.

"We found out some… troubling news while in Europe," Carlisle hedged.

_What news?_ Sam asked.

"What news?" I repeated.

God, I felt like such a parrot.

_A very hot one,_ Jake smirked.

_Game face, Jacob,_ Sam scolded.

Jake just grinned and gave me a wink.

"We were spending some time in Italy when Alice had a vision of you diving off a cliff. We assumed the worst. Edward went to the Volturi for execution. The Volturi are the only form of government we have. There are three vampires at the head; Aro, Marcus, and Caius. Aro has an ability similar to Edwards. With one touch, he can see all the thoughts you've ever had. Marcus had the ability sense relationships. Caius is the only one without an ability, but he is the most brutal. Together they rule the vampire world. When they found out that you knew about vampires, they demanded either your death or your change," Carlisle started.

The pack started growling, their ears flattening against their heads.

"Hush," I scolded gently.

They instantly fell silent. I noticed the curious looks the Cullens kept giving me and the pack, but ignored them. I motioned for Carlisle to continue.

"Of course, Edward spoke up, refusing to allow it to happen. We made a case against the Volturi to leave you human. Unfortunately, it didn't work. By the time we made it to Volterra, Aro had already sent Afton after you. When he didn't come back with Chelsea, Aro looked through her memories and saw the wolves. Caius wants the wolves eliminated. Aro is reluctant, but understands how dangerous they are. He'd much rather have them as guards, though, than kill them," Carlisle continued.

"That won't happen," I vowed, my eyes narrowing as I felt the packs determination and irritation.

"You have to know, the Volturi are very powerful. If they decide something, it is nearly impossible to dissuade them," Carlisle shook his head.

"We _will_ stop them," I growled, my hand fisting in Seth's fur again.

Carlisle frowned at me, obviously confused as to my position in the issue.

"Bella, they will want to kill you or change you. We have bigger concerns than these wolves," Edward pointed out.

"Nothing is more important to me than my pack," I snarled, glaring at him.

"_Your_ pack?" Edward gaped.

The rest of the Cullens were watching the exchange intensely. I knew it was time to come clean and tell them my own story. I addressed the entire family as I spoke.

"When you left, I was a wreck. I basically died inside that day. For the following three months, I went through the motions, but there wasn't anything going on inside. It wasn't until mid-January that I actually started coming alive again. I started spending time in La Push with Jake and his friends. I started smiling again, laughing again, and actually feeling again.

"Then, the pack started phasing and everything changed for a second time. I was barred from coming to La Push. I wasn't allowed to contact Jake. I was going back into the dark hole I'd been in when you left. So, I ended up driving into La Push one day and confronting Jake. We decided it was worth it to spend time together. He knew how much I needed him and he wanted to be there for me.

"That night, I had a dream and when I woke up, I was in this field. Laurent found me and tried to kill me," I paused briefly when I saw everyone wince.

I wondered at the Cullen's reaction, but didn't question it.

"The pack caught the scent and came to my rescue just in time. Once the threat was taken care of, Jake came back and phased right in front of me. The next morning, Jake told me all about the wolves. He took me to Sam's house and I spent the rest of the day helping them figure out what to do about Victoria.

"We found out later that I was able to break the Alpha's command. Sam conducted some tests and I was able to break every command he gave the wolves. When we went to the tribal elders, they told us I was an Omega. For an entire night, I worked on forming a bond with Sam and, through him, the rest of the pack," I finished.

The Cullens looked at me, confused.

"What is an Omega?" Carlisle asked, his brain fairly ticking.

"Omega brings peace to her pack. She heals the body and soul. She brings truth from the lips of man and beast. She is connected to the pack in a primal way. She feels the emotions of the pack just as strongly as the pack, stronger even in some cases. She assists the Alpha in taking care of the pack. The pack is her priority," I explained.

"And you are the Omega of this pack?" Carlisle asked carefully.

"Yes."

_Bella, we need to return to La Push. Inform Carlisle that we will be in touch and remind him that the treaty is still in effect,_ Sam instructed.

"We will be in touch at a later date. I have been told to remind you of the treaty," I said.

"Of course. We shall await your call. I hope that you will allow us to return to our lives from before we left?" Carlisle questioned Sam.

_No! I don't want them going to school with Bella! _Jake denied.

_Jacob, calm down. I will not stop them from going about their lives. We will simply have a wolf outside the school at all times, _Sam stated.

"You will be permitted to return to your former lives. However, you must understand that the pack is very protective of me now that I am a part of them. There will be a wolf placed outside of the school at all times. You are not permitted to contact me until I have contacted you first. I will also add that the treaty has been extended to include my home," I informed them.

_Well done, Bella,_ Sam praised.

"Very well," Carlisle bowed.

The Cullens turned to leave, except Edward. He stood there, watching me warily.

"Carlisle," Edward frowned.

"Come, Edward. We will do as the wolves have requested," Carlisle insisted.

Edward stayed where he was, staring at me.

"Edward. Come on. It's too late," Alice murmured, taking his arm.

Pain flashed across Edward's face, but he quickly masked it.

_I don't trust him,_ Jake said, watching Edward carefully.

_Until he proves himself to be dangerous we will do nothing,_ Sam ordered.

_I don't like the way he's watching Bella,_ Jake frowned.

_Don't worry, Jake. Nothing's going to happen,_ I assured him.

"What are you telling them?" Edward asked.

I looked up to see him still watching me. I frowned at him.

"I don't see how what I tell them any of your business," I glared.

Edward's eyebrows raised and he looked hurt again. I didn't understand why my words hurt him. He didn't love me anymore. Why should it bother him if I was cruel?

"You should go. We'll be in touch," I reminded him.

With one last look, Alice finally was able to pull him away. As soon as the clearing was empty, the wolves relaxed.

_Let's go home, _Sam sighed.

Jake came over to me and knelt down. He huffed as I climbed onto his back. I nestled down into his fur, resting my head in between his shoulder blades. He growled softly as I settled down, but it was a contented growl. I smiled and began stroking his fur as he took me home.

* * *

**Alright! So the Cullens are back. I hope this was a good reunion. I tried not to make it too "typical" or "cliché". I tried to stay away from things I felt leaned towards that direction.**

**Seriously, the last chapter got some major reviews! I'm almost tempted to leave you guys more cliffhangers! Hahaha! Not to worry! I won't! I don't like cliffhangers, so I try not to leave you with too many.**

**Not sure when the next chapter will be up. Might not be until Wednesday. Last week before Spring Break is always hectic. Try to be patient with me. I promise, I'll update as soon as I can! See you next chapter!!**


	16. Chapter 16: Don't Touch Me

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Sixteen

I sighed as I felt Jake carry me upstairs to my room. Charlie was snoring in his recliner, the TV playing lightly in the background. Jake moved to place me on the bed, but I wrapped my arms around his neck before he could let go.

"Bells," Jake chuckled, trying to pry my hands off.

"No," I whined, smiling.

"Let me at least go get your dad to bed," Jake insisted softly.

"You'll come right back?" I asked skeptically.

"Of course," Jake murmured, brushing his lips against mine.

I pressed my lips against his more firmly, threading my fingers in his hair. My tongue reached out and flicked against his lips. He moaned softly as he braced his arms on either side of my head. He broke away to trail kisses down my neck.

"You are evil, Miss Swan," Jake sighed, pulling away from me.

I grinned and let him go.

"You'll be back, right?" I asked.

"Just as soon as I get your dad in his own bed," Jake agreed.

I watched as he walked out of the room, his entire body as graceful as flowing water. Every step was fluid and somewhat predatory; his wolf coming out. I smiled and sighed, closing my eyes.

Tonight had gone well, I thought. The Cullens had obviously not anticipated my Omega qualities. I wondered if the rest of the pack had realized that I was the reason Edward couldn't read them anymore. My mind had always been closed off to him, it only made sense that, once I was part of the pack mind, he wouldn't be able to read that either.

I heard the stairs creek and knew Jake was helping Charlie into his room. I heard them talking softly to each other before Charlie's door closed. I waited in anticipation for my door to open and Jake to walk in.

I heard the door open and close, but Jake was too quiet as he moved across the floor for me to hear him. My body thrummed, eager for his touch. Everything inside of me was waiting for the first brush of his fingers, of his lips.

I gasped when I felt his heated touch skim across my cheeks.

"Are you trying to fool me? You're not a very good actress," Jake teased.

"I wasn't," I breathed, keeping my eyes closed.

"No? Then why were your eyes closed?" Jake asked.

I felt his heat settle over me. His lower body was pressed firmly into mine while he rested his upper body on his arms braced on either side of my head. His heat surrounded me deliciously. The spicy scent of his shampoo and soap intoxicated me and I moved closer, needing more of it.

"Bells?" Jake chuckled.

"Mmm?" I hummed.

"What are you doing?" Jake asked.

"You smell so good. And I love how hot you are," I moaned, arching into his body.

"Well, thank you," Jake laughed.

"Mmm, thank _you_," I grinned, opening my eyes.

Jake's face was directly over mine, barely an inch separating our lips. His dark brown eyes looked unwaveringly into mine. I lost my breath as his eyes read everything mine had to offer.

"You were amazing tonight," Jake whispered.

I blushed and buried my face in his neck.

"Why are you hiding?" Jake asked, laughing again.

"Because," I huffed.

"You don't like it when I compliment you?" Jake asked.

"No," I mumbled.

"Why?"

"Because."

Jake laughed and pulled me away from his neck. I pouted up at him, trying not to smile.

"That's not an answer," Jake told me.

"It makes me feel funny," I whined.

"Funny?" Jake frowned.

"Yeah. Funny," I sighed, staring at the skin under his jaw that I wanted to kiss and lick.

I watched as his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. My eyes flickered up to meet his and I was lost.

"Kiss me, Jake," I whispered.

Jake smiled and lowered his lips to mine. My breathing grew shallow and my pulse accelerated the closer he got. When his lips were just a breath away, he stopped. His eyes held mine the whole time, enjoying my reactions to his nearness.

"Kiss _me_, Bella," Jake murmured.

My lips were fastened to his as soon as the worlds were out of his mouth. I groaned as I felt his tongue slide against mine, sending shivers up my spine. One of his arms slipped behind my back, pulling me up, closer to his body. I gasped at the feel of his hard chest pressed against mine.

The difference in our bodies was exhilarating. He was so hard and immovable while I was soft and pliable. He was all planes and angles; I was curves and roundness. He was dark; I was light. We were the perfect contradiction together.

"Stop," Jake groaned, nipping my ear.

"What?" I gasped.

"Thinking," Jake said, trailing down my neck.

"I was thinking about you," I informed him breathlessly.

Jake paused and brought his face up to mine, smirking.

"Well, then. I guess that's okay."

I bit my lip and threaded my fingers through his short hair. His eyes closed and his growled softly.

"You are such a dog," I giggled.

"Woof," Jake grinned.

I laughed and he started scratching behind his ear like a dog with fleas. I stopped when he looked down at me, his eyes dancing with unsuppressed joy.

"What?" I asked, skimming my fingers across his forehead.

"I just can't believe that I have you. I'm, seriously, the luckiest guy in the whole world. And it's all because of you," Jake smiled.

I tried to hold back my tears, but they refused to stay locked inside. Jake frowned as the first one fell down my face.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it as-" I stopped him before he ruined the words for me.

"No. I'm not crying cause I'm sad. I'm actually really happy. And I feel the exact same way every time I look at you. It doesn't make any sense that you would choose me, but you did. And I'm completely changed for the better because of it," I whispered.

Jake grinned, brushing away a few more tears that had escaped. He bent to catch one with his mouth, lingering on the spot.

"You're everything I've ever wanted, Bells. It's not you who's lucky; it's me. Nothing will ever change that. You're it for me," Jake said.

"I love you," I murmured.

"I love you, too."

* * *

I woke up the next morning to the sound of my alarm clock blaring. I groaned and slapped the annoying device into silence. Rolling over, I was pleasantly surprised to feel warm arms wrap around me.

"Good morning," Jake yawned.

"Morning," I mumbled, snuggling into his chest.

"School time," Jake groaned.

"Mmmm! I don't wanna go!" I whined, throwing the covers over my head.

Jake chuckled roughly and pulled the covers back down. I blinked up at him and huffed indignantly.

"I don't want you to go either, but you have to," Jake complained, brushing his lips against my forehead.

I sighed contently and wrapped my arms around his chest, pulling myself closer. He smiled and kissed me briefly before removing his arms.

"Go get ready. I'm taking you today," Jake informed me.

"Why?" I asked, stumbling out of bed.

"Just as a precaution," Jake shrugged.

I yawned and turned to look at him lounging in my bed.

"Hurry up. I gotta take a shower, too," Jake ordered, pointing to the bathroom.

I glared at him and motioned for him to leave.

"I am not getting ready with you in the same room as me," I grumbled.

"Oh, come on, Bells. Please? For being so good last night?" Jake pleaded.

I blushed crimson and pointed to the door.

"Out," I said.

"Fine," Jake groaned, jumping out of bed and strolling to the door.

As watched as he walked past me. He grinned and slapped my butt as he walked by. I gasped in outrage and moved to smack his arm. He laughed and danced out of my reach. He hurried out the door, closing it behind him.

"Get ready, honey. We need to be leaving in abour an hour," Jake called through the door.

"Jerk!" I shouted as I gathered my things together.

I heard Jake laughing as he walked down the stairs. I glared at my clothes as I prepared to go to the bathroom. I poked my head out to make sure Jake had really gone downstairs before sprinting into the bathroom.

Once the door was safely locked behind me, I relaxed and started getting things ready for the day. After my shower, I looked at myself in the mirror and frowned at the mark on my neck. It had just barely started fading, but was still an ugly purple. I was grateful my hair covered it for the most part.

I stepped out of the bathroom to see Jake standing right in front of the door. I yelped and jumped back, slipping on some water on the floor. Before I could fall, I felt warm hands grab hold of me and pulled me forward. Instead of crashing to the floor, I crashed into Jake's chest.

"Thanks," I mumbled against his chest.

"Any time, Bells," Jake laughed.

I glared at him as he sidestepped into the bathroom.

"You took forever. I'll have to be real quick with my shower if we're going to get to school in time," Jake groaned.

I wanted to throw something at him. He was being very annoying this morning and I couldn't figure out why.

The bathroom door shut in my face and I turned to get ready for school. I gathered all my books and papers from my desk and shoved them in my bag. Before leaving my room, I tossed all my dirty clothes into the hamper. The shower was still running as I made my way downstairs.

I glanced at the clock and huffed.

We still had half an hour until we needed to leave. The little sneak was lying to me!

I thought about all the different ways I could torture him as I fixed myself a bowl of cereal. I listened intently as the shower cut off upstairs and Jake started getting himself ready for the day. I wondered if he was on Bella Duty today or if it was one of the others.

"Ah. Much better," Jake sighed as he came into the kitchen.

"So glad you feel better," I grumbled, taking my bowl to the sink.

"What's wrong, honey?" Jake asked sweetly, wrapping his arms around my waist.

"You are a liar, Mr. Black, and I am through with you," I informed him haughtily.

"Really?" Jake asked, his arms tightening around me.

"Yes. Really. I do not appreciate being fooled," I continued on in my I'm-better-than-you-are voice.

"Hmm. Well, now, Miss High-and-Mighty, what can I do to make it up to you?" Jake asked, his breath right in my ear.

"I'll have to think about it and get back to you," I decided, turning around in his grasp.

He was smiling, enjoying our game. I wrapped my arms around his neck and brought his face closer to mine.

"You can start with a kiss, though," I suggested.

"If it'll help get me back in your good graces," Jake sighed in mock defeat.

I giggled as his lips lowered onto mine. It was a simple, sweet kiss, with both our tongues staying in our own mouths. I smiled when he pulled away.

"I think I can forgive you," I said.

"Thank you," Jake grinned, hugging me close.

"Time for school," I chirped, twisting out of his embrace.

He sighed and followed me out to my truck. I looked at him as he climbed inside. It didn't take a genius to figure out that he didn't want me going to school if the Cullens were going to be there. I took his hand in mine as he back us out of the driveway.

"It's going to be okay, Jake. They can't do anything with all those witnesses around," I reminded him.

"A few hundred humans are not going to be able to stand against two determined vampires," Jake groused.

"Well, that's why someone will be outside on Bella Watch. If something goes wrong, they'll take care of it," I soothed, rubbing his arm.

"I'm on Bella Watch today," Jake informed me.

"I figured you would be since it's day one," I admitted.

"If they come near you, I want you to let me know. Keep yourself open to me, alright?" Jake pleaded as we neared the school.

"I don't think it'll come to that, but okay. If anything happens, I'll call for you," I promised.

"I mean it, Bells. If you ever doubt their intentions, call for me," Jake insisted.

"Jake, calm down. You can't phase in here," I said sternly.

He looked down at himself, surprised to find himself shaking. He instantly stopped and took a deep breath. He squeezed my hand a little tighter than usual, but it didn't hurt.

"Sorry," Jake mumbled.

"It's okay. I know this bugs you. Just, trust me, okay? It's going to be fine," I assured him.

Jake nodded stiffly, still not liking the idea. I leaned up and kissed his cheek, hoping to ease his face into a smile. It worked until we reached the school parking lot.

He pulled into my parking spot and put the truck in park, glaring around the parking lot. He growled when his eyes landed on the Cullens standing by their cars near the entrance of the school. His hands gripped the steering wheel and grinded against it. I became alarmed when dust started falling from his hands.

"Jake," I called, bring his attention to me.

He stopped growling and looked at me. I sighed, reaching up to smooth out his frown lines. He face softened and he leaned into my hand. I smiled at him, hoping to ease his inner turmoil some.

"Everything will be fine," I murmured.

Jake gritted his teeth and nodded.

"I love you," I whispered, kissing him.

"I love you, too. Be safe," Jake said when I pulled away.

I gave his hand one last squeeze before hopping out of the truck. I turned to look at him as I started walking towards the building. His eyes were tortured as I walked away. The pain in my chest that always came when I was away from Jake, throbbed. My hand flew up to my chest at the same time his did. I stopped and we stared at each other.

I knew there was no way we'd make it through the day like this. Without a second though, I opened the link that connected our minds. Instantly, the pain dulled and I could breathe easily again.

_I love you,_ Jake thought agonizingly.

_I love you, too,_ I replied softly.

_Get to class before I jump out of this truck and haul you back home, _Jake ordered.

I smiled sadly at him before turning to head into the school. I felt Jake tense as I walked by the Cullens, but I didn't so much as spare them a glance. He relaxed once I was safely in the school.

_You do realize I have classes with them, right?_ I asked as the first bell rang.

_Sit as far away as possible, _Jake answered.

I watched him climb out of the truck and walk into the woods, preparing to phase. As soon as the trees blocked him from sight, he became a giant russet wolf.

_Focus, honey. You're about to run into someone, _Jake chuckled.

I looked up and realized I was about an inch from running into someone's back. I stopped suddenly, but not soon enough. Jake laughed as I stumbled through my apology.

The girl turned around and I stopped.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Isabella Swan. What? No bodyguard today?" Lauren sneered.

"Come on, Lauren. Let's get to class," Jessica insisted.

Lauren ignored her, focusing on me instead.

"You know, Bella, I noticed yesterday your boyfriend wasn't here to pick you up. It was another one of those Quileute boys. Did your boyfriend dump you already? Got smart like Edward, I bet. Has he left the country, too? Oh, sweeties, I'm so sorry. It's just not fair, is it? The guy has to actually leave the country to get away from you. Poor Bella," Lauren mocked.

"Oh, Lauren. You truly are too kind to care about me so much. You don't have to worry, though. Jake had to work, that's why he sent Embry. He actually brought me to school today to make up for it. I'm sorry you got confused. But, then, I'm not surprised. It doesn't take much, does it?" I sighed in fake pity.

Lauren was glaring at me, but I just smiled and walked around her. I could feel Jake's approval at my ability to take her on and it made it so much better.

"Oh, Bella! Wait! Did you say your boyfriend was working? I thought he was younger than us," Lauren persisted.

Oh, she was not going to go there. I could feel her coming in closer behind me.

"What happened? Was he too stupid and dropped out? Well, that explains why he's with you," Lauren grinned.

Jake growled at her in my mind. I realized I didn't want him to witness this and immediately severed the link.

"You listen here, Lauren. You can say what you want to about me, but don't you dare insult Jake. He's more intelligent than you can ever hope to be. The only reason he dropped out of high school is because his dad needed help with the bills. He's already in the process of getting his GED where as you'll be lucky to graduate. What's your GPA now? 1.3? Maybe a community college will take you if you're lucky, but I doubt it. At least my Jake has skills to fall back on if he decides not to go to college. Unfortunately, there isn't a job for a professional bitch, so you're out of luck," I snapped, turning and walking away from her again.

I knew I was probably going to be late to my first class, but it had been worth it to tell Lauren off. The look on her face when I had walked away was priceless.

I barely made it into class before the bell rang. I quickly took my seat with an apologetic look to the teacher. He nodded and went on to teach his lesson.

I could feel Jake attempting to reconnect our minds and allowed him in.

_Bella! God, don't do that! I didn't know what had happened to you,_ Jake scolded.

_Sorry. I didn't want you to hear what she was saying about you,_ I frowned.

_Honey, if you think some uptight little bitch is going to get under my skin, you obviously don't know me well enough, _Jake chuckled.

_Yeah, well, still,_ I grumbled.

_I like the fact that you defended me, though, _Jake admitted.

I smiled and went on to take notes, thinking about how much I loved my wolf.

* * *

Lunch was going to be awkward. All day, I'd been avoiding the Alice and Edward and they hadn't been able to talk to me since we were in class. There would be nothing stopping them from coming up to me during lunch.

_Don't go anywhere with them,_ Jake reminded me for the tenth time.

_I know, okay. I'm not worried. It's just going to be difficult if they come up to me, _I explained.

Jake huffed and went back to focusing on the scenery. He'd been relatively quiet all day, watching for any changes in or around the school. Occasionally, he'd get distracted and start thinking about me, but neither one of us minded where his thoughts took him.

"Bella! Over here," Angela called, waving me over to the table.

I waved back and began making my way around tables and chairs to get to her and the rest of the gang. I settled into a seat between her and Eric.

"Hey, guys. What's up?" I asked, taking a bite of my apple.

"Did you see the Cullens were back?" Angela asked.

"Yeah. They're in some of my classes," I told her.

"Are you okay?" she asked, frowning in concern.

"Sure. Why wouldn't I be?" I asked, laughing slightly.

"Well, you were just so torn up after they left. I wasn't sure if you'd be okay with them coming back," Angela shrugged.

"It's not like I could've kept them from coming back, Ang," I pointed out.

"You know what I mean," Angela waved off.

"I know what you mean. It doesn't bother me at all. I have Jake now, remember?" I grinned.

Angela nodded, stabbing her salad with her fork.

"You know, it's a little weird to just see Alice and Edward. I'm so used to seeing all of them," Angela said.

I glanced over at their usual table to see Alice and Edward sitting alone. Neither one of them were talking. Instead, they were both looking straight at me. I blushed and looked away quickly.

"It's be less weird if they weren't watching me," I grumbled.

Angela glanced at the table and choked on her food. I slapped her on the back until she calmed down.

"That is creepy," Angela agreed.

"Tell me bout it," I sighed, shifting in my seat.

Jake was growling in my mind, not liking that Alice and Edward were watching me. In his agitation, he had taken to pacing the edge of the woods.

"I'm gonna go for a walk. See you in Biology," I told Angela standing up.

She frowned up at me, but nodded.

I walked out of the cafeteria as quickly as possible. Jake's irritability was throwing me off balance and I had to get somewhere to calm him down.

_Chill, Jake. You're driving me crazy, _I pleaded, leaning against my locker.

_Sorry, honey. I just can't stand seeing them watch you like that and not be able to do anything about it,_ Jake growled.

_I know, but your emotions are making me angry,_ I told him.

_Ugh! Sorry,_ Jake groaned and forced himself to lie down.

I closed my eyes and tried to think soothing thoughts. Between the two of us, we were able to get his emotions back under control. I sighed as he calmed down. I opened my eyes, intending to return to the cafeteria, and screamed.

Edward Cullen was standing less than a foot away from me.

Jake was instantly on alert, growling ferociously.

"What the hell, Edward?" I grumbled, trying to calm myself and Jake at the same time.

"I want to talk to you, Bella," Edward answered.

"Talk," I snapped, glaring up the hall towards the cafeteria.

"Will you at least look at me?" Edward asked.

"I don't need to look at you in order to hear you," I pointed out, searching for some way out of this confrontation.

Jake was getting antsy and it made me uncomfortable. He didn't like Edward so close to me and he was debating whether to come bursting into the school or not.

"Bella," Edward sighed.

His fingers grasped my chin lightly and turned me to face him. Jake snarled in response and moved to leap through the trees.

_Don't! It's fine,_ I stopped him.

"Don't touch me. Jake doesn't like it," I glared, jerking my chin out of his grasp.

"Jake?" Edward frowned.

"Jacob Black. My boyfriend," I supplied.

Edward closed his eyes, his jaw tight. He straightened up and moved away from me.

"I see. I hadn't realized… Forgive me," Edward bowed his head.

"What did you want, Edward?" I asked, getting impatient.

Jake was pacing along the edge of the trees again, just waiting for Edward to make another wrong move.

"This Jacob is one of your wolves?" Edward asked, looking above my head.

"Yes. He's second in command," I agreed.

"Second?"

Edward's eyes snapped back to mine.

"Yes. Sam's the Alpha," I frowned, not liking his tone.

"Interesting," Edward murmured.

"Didn't I tell you not to contact me before Sam had contacted you? Why are you trying to bring the wolves on your unnecessarily?" I asked.

"I needed to speak with you," Edward repeated.

"Speak, then!" I fumed, throwing my hands up in agrivation.

_Easy, Bells. Don't get him angry, honey, _Jake warned.

I took a deep breath and tried to calm down for his sake. I didn't want Jake worried about me setting Edward off.

"Talk," I sighed, looking at the clock on the wall.

"I lied to you, Bella. And I will never forgive myself for it," Edward said.

"What are you talking about?" I grumbled, done with his cryptic conversation.

"When I left, I lied to you. When I told you I didn't love you anymore, it was the truest form of vulgarity I have ever uttered. It wasn't true, Bella. I love you still," Edward admitted, taking my hands.

I looked up at him, completely shocked. Jake bristled as Edward touched me again. He didn't like what Edward had said too much either, but he was ignoring it for the time being.

"What are you talking about?" I repeated, unable to come up with anything better to say.

"I love you, Bella. I never stopped," Edward whispered, leaning towards me.

I realized he intended to kiss me.

"Stop," I said, backing away from him and pulling my hands out of his grasp.

He looked at me in that same tortured expression he'd worn last night. The only difference was I knew now why he wore it.

"I'm too late, aren't I?" Edward sighed, looking down.

"I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not. Edward, there are things I didn't tell you last night that you should know," I started.

The bell rang then and the halls were suddenly filled with students.

"It'll have to wait. Please, don't talk to me again until Sam contacts your family. I won't betray their trust by going against Sam's decision," I vowed.

"I understand," Edward nodded.

I gave him a nod of my own before heading off to my next class.

* * *

**Wow. Fourteen pages. What do you think? Good, huh? You got a confrontation between Lauren and Bella and Edward and Bella! Everybody say "yay"! Hahaha! See you guys next chapter!!**


	17. Chapter 17: Difference of Opinion

**Warning: Slight sexual scene! Look for bold "Warning" if you don't want to read!**

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Seventeen

Jake was waiting for me by the truck after school. As soon as that final bell rang, I was running to him. He smiled when he saw me coming at him full-tilt. He opened his arms and caught me as I crashed into him. I laughed as my feet left the pavement and he spun me around.

"Damn, I missed you," Jake sighed, holding me tighter.

"We talked all day," I reminded him.

"I think that made it worse. I've wanted to _feel_ you all day," Jake groaned.

I laughed and pulled back for a kiss. His lips were firm against mine as he poured all he was into a single kiss, leaving me breathless when he pulled away.

"I love you," I murmured.

Jake smiled and kissed me again.

"I love you, too. Now, get in the truck. Sam wants to see us," Jake said.

"What now?" I complained.

"He wants to talk about what happened today," Jake explained, looking over at the Cullens.

I followed his gaze to see Edward and Alice watching me again. Edward looked like he was in pain, but Alice just looked sad. When Edward saw me looking at him, he moved to come forward. Alice stopped him with a hand on his arm at the same time Jake growled and pulled me behind him.

"Come on. Let's go see Sam," I urged, tugging at Jake's arm.

Jake reached behind us and opened the driver side door, his eyes never wavering from Edward. When the door was safely between us and the Cullens, Jake motioned for me to climb in. I slid over into the passenger seat with Jake right behind me. He slammed the door and started the truck, eager to get out of the parking lot.

He didn't relax until we were safely within the boundary line. Only then did he stop glancing in the mirror and release his death grip on the steering wheel. I reached over and took one of his hands in mine, hoping to calm him further. He flashed me a grin and squeezed my hand.

"Are you going to be this bad every time?" I asked softly.

"Probably," Jake admitted readily.

"Why?" I frowned.

"Because you're my imprint and they are my mortal enemies. You do the math," Jake sighed, leaning his head against the seat.

I bit my lip, but didn't respond. It bothered me a little that Jake was going to be strung out over Alice and Edward. Alice wasn't a threat in my book, but I doubted I could convince Jake of that. Edward was another story. After today, I wasn't sure if he was a threat or not. I wanted to believe he'd never hurt me, but I couldn't be sure.

My thoughts were cut short as Jake pulled into Sam's driveway. He killed the engine and took my hand.

"They know what happened today and they're not happy. Be prepared," Jake warned.

I nodded once, glancing at the front door.

Jake gave me a worried look before getting out of the truck. I followed after him and he took my hand again. He led the way to the door, his entire body tense. I couldn't understand why. This was our family after all.

Jake opened the door and pulled me inside. The pack had been arguing a moment before, but fell silent when we walked in.

"What's going on?" I asked in a sing-son voice.

As soon as I spoke, the tension in the room evaporated. Everyone settled down into their proper places. Emily came in from the kitchen at the silence and smiled when she saw me.

"Bella. How are you?" Emily asked, coming to give me a hug.

"I'm good. How are you?" I smiled, hugging her back.

"Much better now that you're here. I wish I had your ability to shut them up!" Emily clamed, throwing up her hands.

"Perks of being the Omega, I guess. Sorry I didn't get here sooner," I teased.

"At least you stopped them before they phased and ruined my furniture," Emily grinned, giving me a relieved look.

"Oh, come on, Em. I would've stopped it before it got that far," Sam frowned.

"Sure you would have," Emily agreed sarcastically, turning to go back into the kitchen.

"Alright, guys. What happened?" I asked, taking my seat by Jake.

"I called Carlisle today and talked to him about Edward," Sam started.

"He shouldn't have been anywhere near her!" Paul erupted, jumping to his feet again.

"Come on, Sam. Let's take him out!" Seth agreed.

"He's already broken our agreement!" Embry added.

At this point, they were all back on their feet, arguing over what to do about Edward. I watched as they yelled over top of each other, each trying to convince Sam to attack the Cullens and kill Edward.

"Sit down!" Sam commanded.

The all sank back into their seats, their arms trembling.

"Now, you will all be silent while I discuss this with Bella. If you can't be quiet, you will leave," Sam glared.

The wolves settled down, clearly unhappy. Sam looked hard at all of them before turning his attention back to me.

"As I was saying, Carlisle is concerned about Edward's ability to stay away from you. After what happened today, I can't blame him. He thinks the best way to head off any… accidents is for you to visit with them, alone, and explain the changes that have happened. He hopes Edward will be able to accept it easier if you told him directly without any of us around," Sam informed me.

Jake was tense beside me and I knew he was struggling against Sam's command. His grip on my hand was almost painful it was so tight. I glanced over at him to see his face hard and angry. He was grinding his teeth together so hard I was worried he was going to do permanent damage.

"I told him I didn't like the idea of you going alone. He seems to think we are controlling you and insists you come alone. I told him I would discuss it with you and the pack. However, after what happened today, I-"

"I'll go," I interrupted.

All eyes snapped to me. Jake let out a silent growl and started shaking. He released my hand and stood up. Still trembling, he walked out the door. I watched him sadly, but didn't stop him.

"Bella, I don' think that's a good idea," Sam frowned.

"I do. Look, Sam, it makes sense. They want the chance to talk to me without you guys there. They probably think I'm afraid of you guys or something and that's why I'm with the pack. The only things they know are the things I told them in front of you. They probably think I was compelled to say that. In any case, they deserve the chance to talk to me alone. They were my family at one point," I explained.

"Your loyalty is to the pack now, Bella, and I don't think-"

I jumped to my feet, cutting off his sentence.

"Sam Uley! Don't you dare try and tell me that I'm betraying this pack! I would never! You will notice I used the past tense when talking about them as my family. This is my family now! I know that. When, not if, I go see them, I will not divulge pack knowledge. The thought of you even thinking me capable of doing such a thing is… is…. outrageous!" I yelled.

Sam looked at me in shock, as did the rest of the pack. Slowly, Sam stood up, giving me a concerned look.

"Bella, I don't think you'd betray the pack. That wasn't what I was going to say. My only concern is for your safety. True, you could call on the pack strength, but you couldn't take on seven vampires at once. None of us could. I don't want you going there alone," Sam clarified.

I looked up at him, determined to go to the Cullens now more than ever. They needed to understand that the Cullens were not the enemy if there was ever going to be peace between them.

"I have to go, Sam," I stated.

Sam frowned and crossed his arms, his expression hard. I imitated his stance and glared at him. Neither one of us was going to back down.

"You know what? Fine. I won't go see them," I gave in.

Sam looked surprised and then suspicious.

"Really?" Sam asked, eyes narrowed at me.

"Yep. Promise. I won't go to the Cullen's house," I assured him.

Sam watched me for a long time to see if he could tell if I was telling the truth or not. Slowly, he nodded.

"Alright. Good. I'll call Carlisle back and tell him the news," Sam said, turning to the kitchen.

I smiled, looking around at the rest of the pack.

"Some one mind going and telling Jake what happened?" I asked.

Seth stood up and walked out the door, giving me a smile as he walked past.

"Tell him I'm headed home for the night," I called as the door shut behind him.

The rest of the pack watched as I walked out of the house. They all knew something was up with me. They just didn't know what.

I was planning on keeping my promise. I wouldn't go to the Cullen's house.

But that didn't mean I couldn't meet up with them somewhere else.

* * *

**Warning! Sexual scene coming up!**

I woke up to a scratching coming from my window. It took a moment for the noise to sink in and then I was bounding off the bed. I raced to the window and flung it open, moving to let Jake swing through. As soon as his feet landed on my floor, I threw myself against him.

"I missed you," I mumbled against his chest.

"I missed you, too. I'm sorry I left like that. I just can't imagine letting you go there, let alone by yourself," Jake groaned, burying his face in my hair.

"Jake," I sighed as his lips started searching for mine.

His arms branded around me, lifting me up so I could wrap my legs around his waist. His lips fastened on mine, hungrily taking everything I had to offer. One hand was fisted in my hair while the other was grasping my hip to keep me from falling. His thumb was rubbing against my bare thigh, stirring up goose bumps.

He started walking me towards the bed, never taking his lips from mine. When his knees hit the edge, he tumbled down. I fell against the mattress with a soft thump, Jake settled over top of me.

His hands started moving over my body, reacquainting himself with all my curves and bumps. His fingers trailed across the bottom of my camisole before pulling the fabric up. I pulled away from his kiss with a gasp as his hot hands traveled up my torso.

"It's only fair, Bells," Jake grinned, pulling the top all the way off.

I heard it hit the floor, but paid no attention to it. Jake was looking down at me with such love and adoration in his eyes that it took my breath away. Slowly, his hands moved around my back, working at the clasp of my bra. His eyes never left mine, waiting for any sign of discomfort or fear. He didn't have to worry, though. He'd never made me feel that way.

The clasp came undone and he slowly pulled it off, tossing it to the floor with my camisole. He gasped as he looked down at me.

"What?" I asked, feeling a little self-conscious.

He looked up at me, completely awed. Slowly, he lowered his lips to mine and kissed me gently, sweetly.

"You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen," Jake whispered against my skin.

I sighed as his lips moved down to my throat and onto my chest. One of his hands came up to cup my breast and I arched into it. A soft moan came from me as his mouth traveled to settle over my nipple, sucking it into his mouth. My hands flew to his hair, gripping the short strands tightly. His tongue brushed across my skin, making me buck against him.

"God, Bells," Jake gasped, moving up to kiss me again.

I could feel just what this was doing to him. His hard length was pressed against my thigh. I moved against it, craving some sort of friction between my legs. He gasped and moved his hips against mine.

"Bella," Jake groaned.

His eyes were jammed shut, his entire face screwed up in concentration. He was panting softly as we moved against each other. He had stopped kissing me, but I craved his taste in my mouth.

Moving one of my hands behind his neck and pulled him down. His jaw clenched as my mouth made contact with his neck. I started out just placing open mouthed kissed against his skin, but still craved his taste. I fastened my mouth on his neck and licked the skin between my teeth.

Jake growled low in his throat and his arms tightened around me. I knew I was doing the right thing and moved down to his collar bone. I paid extra attention to the small v where his neck flowed into the rest of his body.

"Bells, please," Jake panted, one of his hands fisted in my hair, the other clenching the sheet.

"Please what?" I asked, my lips brushing against his skin.

"Stop torturing me," Jake begged.

"But I like torturing you," I pouted.

"Bella, we need to… _stop_," Jake groaned as I licked the length of his neck.

"Why?" I asked, nipping his shoulder.

"Because if we don't, I won't be able," Jake answered roughly.

"What if I don't want you to?" I asked suggestively.

Jake groaned and struggled to put some space between us.

"Ever if that was true and you were ready to go all the way, neither one of us has any sort of protection and I'm not taking that chance with you," Jake insisted.

I sighed and allowed him to roll off of me. He flopped down beside me, his arm flung over his eyes. I turned away him, thoroughly frustrated at being denied what I wanted again.

I felt him turn and move so he was spooning me, his arms going around my waist.

"Honey, you know I want you, right?" Jake asked softly, kissing my shoulder.

"No," I mumbled, burying my face into my pillow.

"I should think you can feel just how much I do," Jake chuckled.

He was right. I could feel his erection pressing against my butt. That didn't mean anything, though. He didn't want to go through with it. What did it matter if he was hard?

"Bella, I love you. So much that when I show you how much for the first time, I want to do it right. I want to know that you're just as ready for it as I am and I want to make sure that nothing happens as a result of it. Not because I don't want you to have my kids, but because neither one of us are ready for that," Jake vowed.

I shifted away from him, still a little upset.

"Honey," Jake whined, pulling me back against him.

"Jake, don't," I sniffed.

Jake was instantly up and leaning over me, his face shocked. He reached down to wipe away a tear that had escaped.

"Bella," Jake sighed, pulling me until I was on my back.

He looked down at me with love and agony in his eyes. I bit my lip as more tears escaped.

"How can I make this up to you?" Jake asked, shaking his head.

I just looked up at him, silent. He groaned and leaned down to kiss away a few more tears. He trailed kisses to my mouth and slipped his tongue inside. I responded instantly, moving my tongue in sync to his. My arms wrapped around his neck and pulled him closer.

"I can't make love to you yet. But I can do something else for you," Jake whispered as he broke the kiss.

I watched him as he rolled to lie beside me. His hands started trailing a path up and down my body, tracing designs and patterns on my skin. I closed my eyes as his fingers played with my breast, making me arch into them. His mouth came into play and he sucked the nipple into his mouth again, brushing his teeth over top the small bud.

"Jake," I breathed, grabbing his head to hold him in place.

His hand started trailing down to my shorts and he played with the elastic band holding them in place. Slowly, he started pulling them down my legs. Once he'd gotten them halfway down, I kicked them the rest of the way off. He grinned and moved his hand back up to the juncture of my thighs.

I whimpered as he cupped the most intimate place on my body in his hand. One of his fingers was moving against my swollen lips through the thin cotton of my panties, making them wet. I arched against his hand and moved with it, loving the friction he was creating.

"That's it, honey," Jake murmured, moving his lips away from my breast and to my lips.

He kissed me passionately while his hand continued moving against my now soaking panties. I could feel something building inside of me and raced towards it, feeling the coiling in my lower stomach. Just as I was about to reach it, Jake removed his hand and skimmed the edges of my underwear.

"Jake," I whined, trying to move his hand back.

"Shh. Just trust me, honey," Jake hushed, moving down my body.

He took my panties in his hands and pulled them down my legs. I was completely naked for him. He stared down at me with such love and lust that I couldn't feel embarrassed.

"Beautiful," Jake sighed, leaning down to kiss my inner thigh.

I watched as he slowly kissed and bit his way up my leg, stopping when he reached my wet heat. He inhaled and let out a soft growl before licking my tender sex.

"Jake!" I gasped, arching completely off the bed.

My eyes slammed shut as his hands held my hips in place and his tongue worked magic on my body. I could feel myself coming towards that place again and prayed he wouldn't stop this time. He brought his fingers to my opening and slipped one inside of me. I cried out as a pleasure so intense it was almost painful slammed into me. Jake continued working me until I was completely spent, lying limp on the bed.

He crawled up my body, a cheeky grin on his face. I looked up at him in complete awe.

"That… was…" I panted.

"I know," Jake grinned, kissing me.

I could taste myself on his lips and found it somewhat arousing.

"What about you?" I asked when he pulled away.

"I'll be fine, honey. That was all I needed to make me feel good," Jake assured me, kissing down my neck.

"But, Jake-" I frowned, moving towards him.

"Next time I'll let you take care of me, how bout that?" Jake offered.

I sighed, knowing he wouldn't let me touch him tonight. I would hold him to that promise though. Next time, I would watch him as he lost control. The thought alone was enough to make me wish that time was already here.

* * *

The next morning, Jake took me to school again. He pulled into my usual parking space and turned the truck off, scanning the parking lot for the Cullens. When he didn't see any sign of them, he opened his door and hopped out. I waited as he walked around the front to open my door for me.

"You going to be alright today?" I asked as I sank to the ground.

"No," Jake answered, pulling me into his arms.

He nuzzled into my hair, breathing heavily. I wrapped my arms around his waist, placing my head overtop of his heart.

"I'll be fine, Jake. You don't have to worry. If anything happens, Jared will be right outside," I soothed.

"I know. I just don't like the fact that I can't be here. If anything happens to you, Bella…" Jake trailed off, his voice rough with emotion.

"Hey, nothing is going to happen to me, alright? When you come get me at the end of the day, I'll be perfectly fine and in one piece. You don't have to worry about them," I said softly.

Jake didn't answer, just tightened his arms around me. I sighed, knowing nothing I said would make this easier for him.

"You'll stay connected with Jared," Jake asked, but it came out as more of a command.

"Of course," I assured him.

"I love you," Jake murmured, pulling away to look at me.

"I love you, too. Now, kiss me goodbye so I can get to class," I smiled, trying to lighten his mood.

It didn't work. He face darkened and I was hauled against his chest again. His entire body was trembling as he struggled with letting me go. I just waited for him to calm down, knowing it would be hard for him.

"I'll be here as soon as the last bell rings," Jake promised, forcing himself to let go of me.

I backed away and gave him the best smile I could. He swallowed and took a step forward, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. I leaned into his hand as his thumb rubbed against my cheek.

"Be safe," Jake whispered, leaning in to kiss me briefly.

"I will. And I'll see you at two thirty," I grinned.

"I'll be here," Jake agreed, trying to smile.

I kissed him one last time before turning and practically running into the school. If I didn't get away from him soon, I'd break down completely.

I made it to my locker before I allowed myself to feel the ache in my chest. It was so much worse when he was worried about me. I knew it was ten times more painful for him because he didn't know if I was safe or not. I leaned my head against my closed locker and focused on breathing, hoping to ease the ache above my heart.

"Hey, Bella! I saw Jake leaving the parking lot. Is he feeling okay?" Angela asked, coming to stand beside me.

"He's fine, Ang. He just doesn't like the fact that Edward's back and going to school with me," I explained, lifting my head to look at her.

It was true, I just didn't tell her exactly why Jake didn't like it.

"Oh! Yeah, that makes sense," Angela nodded.

I worked on opening my locker as she told me about her plans for the up coming weekend.

"So, Ben and I were planning on going to the movies again this weekend, just the two of us. We haven't spent much time alone together in a while and I miss him. The other day, he brought me a flower for no reason other than because he wanted to. Isn't that sweet? Normally, that only happens in the movies or books," Angela gushed.

I smiled and joined her in her excitement. Angela was the perfect best friend. She knew exactly when to be quiet and exactly when to talk. She knew when I needed to be left alone and when I needed a distraction. She was really a great best friend.

I walked with her towards my first class, talking all the while. We separated at the door and I waved, promising to catch up with her at lunch. As I settled in my seat, I searched for Jared. I found him and opened the connection between our minds.

_Oh, great. History,_ Jared grumbled, settling down on the ground with a yawn.

I laughed to myself and started taking notes off the board.

* * *

At lunch time, I had a specific goal in mind. I walked into the cafeteria and glanced around at the students.

I had closed Jared out of my mind just five minutes ago, saying nothing would happen at lunch anyway. He's protested slightly, but agreed when I told him I'd be talking to Angela about her upcoming date with Ben. He wasn't really interested in "girl talk".

As I looked around the room, my eyes landed on exactly who I needed to speak to. I waited until her eyes connected with mine before glancing at the salad line. I looked back at her and she stood up, saying something to her companion before moving towards the line.

"Hi, Bella," Alice said cautiously.

"Alice," I nodded tersely.

"You wanted to talk to me about something?" Alice asked, her face falling.

"Saturday. Port Angeles Harbor," I answered cryptically.

It didn't matter. I knew she'd catch on to what I was saying.

"Your wolf will let you?" Alice frowned.

I didn't answer and she sighed.

"I miss you, Bella," Alice whispered before walking away.

I struggled against the tears that threatened to pour down my face. I missed her, too, but I couldn't do anything about it until I proved to her family that I wanted to be part of the pack and proved to the pack that her family wasn't a danger to me.

I was the only one who knew the two had to come together. The dream from Spring Break kept coming back to my thoughts. The red-eyed vampires fighting against the golden-eyed vampires and wolves. I knew exactly what the dream meant now that Carlisle had explained about the Volturi.

I had to bring my ex-family and my current family together if we were going to have any hope of defeating them.

* * *

**So, what do you think? Now, I know a lot of you are probably outraged that Bella is going behind the pack's backs to see the Cullens, but she has to! She knows they need to work together and the only way she can see of getting them together is through her. And until they both realize the other isn't a threat, they can come together to fight against the Volturi! So, please, don't hurt me!!! There's always a reason!!!**

**Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed!! I'll see you next chapter!!**

**P.S. WE REACHED THREE HUNDRED REVIEWS!!! You guys get the Best Readers Ever Award!!**


	18. Chapter 18: Don't Go There

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Eighteen

The week seemed to go by incredibly fast and insanely slow all at the same time. I wanted Saturday to come so I could talk to the Cullens, but I was constantly dreading being found out.

Each day, a new member of the pack took a turn on Bella Watch. Each day, Jake took me to school and picked me up. Each day, he seemed to have an easier time at letting me go.

When Friday rolled around, I finally told him I wouldn't be in Forks Saturday. We were on our way home when I sprung it on him.

"So, listen, I was planning on going into Port Angeles tomorrow for a little bit. I know we were just there last weekend, but I really liked the little book shop Angela, Leah, and I went to and wanted to go back," I explained casually.

"Are you going alone?" Jake asked, watching the road.

"I was planning on it, yes. Why?" I asked, frowning.

Jake stared out the window, his mind turning as he thought about how much trouble I could get into in Port Angeles. He finally decided not much.

"Alright, but I want you to check in every hour. And if something happens or you start to feel uneasy, you come straight home and call me on your way," Jake requested.

"I can do that," I agreed, leaning over to kiss his cheek.

Jake sighed and took my hand in his, bringing it to his lips for a gentle kiss. I smiled at his sweet gesture, feeling the warmth travel all the way through my body.

"Will you come over tonight?" I asked as he pulled into my driveway.

"Don't I always," Jake chuckled.

I smiled and kissed him once more, feeling a little guilty about deceiving him.

"I'll be over once Charlie's asleep," Jake promised, climbing out of the truck and disappearing into the woods.

I watched him leave before hurrying into the house. Charlie wouldn't be home for a few hours, so I had time to take care of dinner and some school work. I set out everything on the kitchen table so I could watch dinner and do my homework at the same time. I didn't want to do anything complicated, so I settled on making a casserole.

Two hours later, Charlie came home from work and we settled down to dinner.

"No Jake tonight?" Charlie asked in between mouthfuls.

"No. He had to run patrols. I'll see him tomorrow, though, when I get back from Port Angeles," I told him.

"Port Angeles? Weren't you just there last weekend?" Charlie frowned.

"Yeah, but I found this cute little book store and really want to go back," I explained, giving him the same story I gave Jake.

"Alright," Charlie grunted, shaking his head.

"Are you going fishing tomorrow?" I asked.

"Probably. I've got the day off. Harry said something about it," Charlie answered.

"That's good. We're almost out of fish. We're down to only half a freezer full," I teased.

Charlie laughed and agreed.

* * *

I drove into the parking lot of Port Angeles Harbor and cut off the engine. There was a small bag beside me with books inside. I hadn't wanted to completely lie to Jake and my dad, so I'd stopped by the book store before coming here.

There were people walking along the decks in between boats, but I didn't see the Cullens. Figuring they would show up once they saw or smelt me, I climbed out of my truck and walked down to the water's edge beside one of the rows of boats.

The little beach was about a foot or more below me and not large enough to be considered a beach at all. Washed up bottles and wrappers littered the small section of sand along with bits of seaweed.

I was so caught up in watching the little waves roll in that I didn't notice they had walked up to me until one of them spoke.

"Bella."

I turned quickly to see Alice standing with her family behind her.

"Alice," I smiled and moved to hug her.

Alice smiled brightly and hugged me back. I had missed her so much that I felt tears start to form as we held each other.

"I'm so sorry about everything," I mumbled.

"Oh, no, Bella. We're sorry. We never should have left like that," Alice denied, pulling away.

"Bella, I'm glad to see your wolves let you come," Carlisle smiled, coming forward to hug me as well.

"They actually don't know I'm here. Otherwise, they never would've let me," I admitted.

"They're keeping you hostage?" Edward growled.

"No! No, they're just worried about what'll happen if I'm around you guys. Just like you are apparently worried that I'm around them," I sighed.

"Yes, we have been concerned. Would you mind telling us what happened after we left?" Carlisle asked.

"I told you most of it the other night," I reminded him.

"You told me there was something else," Edward butted in.

"Yes, there is something else, but it's not something I want to discuss with you in front of your whole family," I frowned.

Edward scowled and shoved his hands in his pocket, wondering what I was talking about.

"Look, I basically came here because I need the wolves to know that you won't hurt me. I'm the Omega. I'm supposed to bring peace between the two groups. It's my job to see to it that you all come together under a peaceful union. And we have to do it soon," I insisted.

"Why?" Carlisle asked.

"I had a dream a few weeks back and I think it's going to come true very soon," I told them.

"What did you dream, dear?" Esme asked, coming forward.

I bit my lip as I looked at her. I'd missed her mothering figure more than I'd realized. As the tears welled up, she moved forward to hug me.

"Oh, Bella. You'll always be a part of our family," Esme whispered, stroking my hair.

"I can't be," I sobbed.

"Why not? Because of your loyalty to the pack? Bella, you can love more than one person. Why not more than one species?" Esme pointed out softly.

"They'll see it as a betrayal. I have to make them see you aren't bad before I can ever begin to accept you back into my life again. My loyalty is to the pack. If I wasn't here for the pack's benefit, I wouldn't be here at all. Everything I do now, is for the pack," I informed them.

"Sounds little controlling if you ask me," Emmett muttered.

"It's not. I would've done the same thing for you," I glared.

"What do you mean?" Carlisle asked.

"I was bonded to this family before you left. I would have been your _eirene aggelou_, 'peace bringer'. But you all left and the bond was broken. That's why I was so desolate when you left. As an Omega, I have to be bonded to something. When you left, the bond was broken and it broke me. It wasn't until I bonded with Sam that things started getting easier. I still felt an echo of my bond with Edward, though, which made it harder to move on. I was finally able to do it after a few days of being bonded with the pack," I explained.

"Interesting. I've heard of the _eirene aggelou_, but they have been hunted to a near extinction. The Volturi had them all wiped out and saved the only remaining one for themselves. It makes the transition into a vampire much easier if one is around," Carlisle told us.

"Well, that explains why the Volturi are interested in coming after me," I huffed.

"Bella, do you think your wolves will let us help them when the Volturi come?" Alice asked.

"I hope so. That's why I'm here. To form ties between the two species," I said.

Alice nodded, looking thoughtful.

"You've given me a lot to think about, Bella. I hadn't realized the bond between you and the pack was so similar to the bond we form with our _eirene aggelou_. I will, of course, call Sam and apologize to him for the insinuations made," Carlisle offered.

"Thank you, but you might want to wait a few days before doing that. They're going to be pretty pissed that I came to see you guys. In fact, I'd better go before they realize how long I've been gone," I apologized.

"Of course, Bella. We understand," Carlisle agreed.

"It was wonderful to see you again, Bella," Esme murmured, hugging me.

"You, too, Esme," I gulped, trying not to start crying again.

"Bye, Bella! See you in school!" Alice called, waving as she walked away.

Edward stayed behind, his arms crossed, as his family made their way to their cars. I waited until they had driven off before confronting him.

"What?" I asked.

"What did you want to tell me?" Edward asked softly.

I sighed and felt all my anger evaporate. Edward was still hopeful I would leave Jake for him and I was about to dash those hopes. Just because I didn't love him anymore didn't mean I wanted to hurt him.

"Edward, I'm so sorry all of this happened. If things were different…" I trailed off, not knowing how to finish that sentence.

Edward relaxed his stance and came forward to take my hands.

"Bella, I still love you. You know that. I have loved you every day that I've been away from you. You were constantly on my mind. There wasn't a second that I wasn't thinking about you," Edward proclaimed.

"Edward, please. You're just making this harder than it has to be," I sighed, trying to pull away.

He held fast to my hands and forced me to look up at him.

"Please, Bella. Come back to me. Give me another chance. You can break the bond with the pack the same way your broke it with my family. We can bond you to us again. Carlisle knows how to do it. You could be with us forever," Edward offered.

"I can't. I'm sorry, but it's not possible," I told him.

"Anything is possible for us, Bella. All you have to do is tell me you still love me and we can break your bond to them. I know it," Edward insisted.

"That's just it, Edward. I don't love you anymore," I whispered.

Edward dropped my hands and backed away from me as if I'd burned him. His eyes were tortured as he looked at me.

"No. Please, don't say that," Edward pleaded.

"I'm sorry, but it's true. I won't lie to you, Edward. After you left, I started spending time with Jake and he healed me. I became whole again because of him. And once I finally let you go, he imprinted on me. I can't leave him," I said, not sparing him at all.

It needed to be done. I hated that I had to hurt him, but any other way would be far more cruel. The straight out truth was always best in cases like this. _A clean break_.

"I… Bella, you don't have to choose him," Edward cried, coming forward again.

"It's too late, Edward. I've already chosen him," I differed.

"No," Edward whispered.

"Edward, you have the rest of eternity to find some one else. You'll get past this and find some one so much better suited to you than me. I know it. I can feel it. Fate has something great planned for you," I assured him.

He was shaking his head before I'd even finished.

"You're wrong. I'll spend the rest of eternity cursing myself for ever leaving you. I'll never find anyone that even comes close to you," Edward murmured.

I fought against rolling my eyes at his overly dramatic statement. I mean, really. The guy had to get over it!

"Look, I have to go. I'm sorry it happened this way, but I'm not sorry it happened. I'm happy, now. Hopefully someday you will be, too," I said, turning to walk back to my truck.

I felt the familiar push inside my head and knew Jake was trying to make contact with me. I realized I hadn't connected with him in over an hour and he was probably worried about me.

As I climbed into the truck, I opened myself to him. Before he could say anything, I played out everything that had just happened, leaving out nothing. I thought back to everything I'd done this week to keep it a secret from him and the pack. I aired all my dirty laundry and hoped he'd forgive me.

* * *

I had closed off my mind again after showing Jake everything. I didn't want to hear his tirade about what I'd done and he needed time to cool off before he saw me. The time it would take me to drive back to Forks would give him plenty of time. He'd also be able to gather his brothers and inform them of what I'd done.

Knowing Sam would want to have a meeting with me and the rest of the pack, I drove straight through Forks and into La Push. I pulled into Sam's driveway and prepared myself for the lashing I was going to get from the entire pack.

As soon as my door opened, I was surrounded. They weren't even going to let me get inside. I looked around the small semi-circle holding me against the truck and noticed that Jake wasn't amongst them.

"Where's-"

"He's are your house incase you tried to escape coming here. Emily's calling and he'll be here soon enough," Sam interrupted, glaring at me.

"Go ahead, Sam. Just get it off your chest," I sighed, leaning against my truck.

"What the hell were you thinking, Bella? Going off to meet an entire coven of vampires by yourself? You could've been hurt or killed! What would we have done, then? None of us would've been close enough to do anything about it! You endangered yourself for no reason! I told you not to meet with them! I can't believe you would go against your family like that!" Sam yelled.

"Are you done?" I asked calmly.

I knew the only way to get them to listen was going to be keeping myself calm and allowing my Omega abilities to gradually calm them as well.

"I have half a mind to break the bond right now, Bella! You went against my orders and endangered your pack! That goes against the Omega's duties. You are supposed to make sure the pack stays protected! How is going to your ex-vampire family keeping the pack protected?" Sam threatened.

"Hold it right there, Sam! I didn't not betray my pack! The only reason I went to see the Cullens was _for_ the pack! It's my job to bring peace between the two species! How can I do that if you won't even trust them not to hurt me?" I snapped, losing my calm.

"How was going to them helping the pack?" Sam growled.

"We need them! The Volturi are coming for me. They fully intend on killing me now that they know what I am. They exterminated all others of my kind and kept the only surviving one for themselves. If the pack goes against them alone, we'll be killed. We need the Cullens and the support they offer in order to win this upcoming battle. So don't you dare tell me I wasn't thinking about the pack's safety when I went there today!" I shouted at him.

Sam took a step back and glared at me, trying to see if I was telling the truth. Without preamble, I shoved my way into his mind and showed him everything that had happened. Through his mind, I projected my thoughts into the rest of the pack, showing them exactly what I meant. I went a step further and showed them the dream that foretold of the pack and Cullens working together.

When I was finished, they all had lost most of their anger.

"I did it for the pack, Sam. The pack is always my first priority," I murmured.

"I still don't like the fact that you went behind my back, but I can see why you did it. Next time, just talk to me about it. I'm sure we could've figured out a compromise instead of you just running off like that," Sam sighed.

"I will. I'm sorry," I mumbled.

Sam reached forward and ruffled my hair, giving me a small smile.

"It's alright, pup," Sam said.

I laughed and flung myself against him, giving him as tight a hug as I could, letting him know how grateful I was. He stumbled back a little in surprise before patting my back gently.

"Thank you, Sam," I grinned, backing away from him.

Sam nodded and turned to walk into the house. The rest of the pack followed him, each of them giving me a smile or a wink or something else to let me know I was forgiven. Seth came up and gave me a hug, gently chastising me for fooling them. I laughed and pushed him along. I knew they all forgave me.

Except Leah.

She stayed behind when the others went inside. I glanced over at her to see her glaring at me, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Leah-" I started.

"Don't. You just stand there and listen. You know how seriously I take my job, especially when it comes to protecting you. The fact that you just went off without telling someone is so completely selfish. And then you don't even stick around to explain to Jake? Do you have any idea how frantic he was when you just shut him out? He's been worried as hell for the past hour thinking something had happened to you. Real nice way to treat your boyfriend and imprint, Bella. And a real fantastic way to treat your friends," Leah snapped.

"Leah, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to hurt you or anyone else. I knew no one would let me go if I said anything. I didn't want you to get in trouble with Sam, either. I would've told you and taken you with me if I thought it would've helped or worked out, but we both know it wouldn't have," I insisted.

Leah continued to glare at me and I shifted, hoping she'd forgive me. Leah and I had a different relationship. We weren't exactly best friends, but we were close. Our relationship in the pack structure kept us close together. That, and the fact that I had helped her start the healing process of getting over Sam, had really made the difference in our friendship. I didn't want to lose her over something as stupid as this.

"Please, Leah. Don't let a bunch of bloodsuckers come between us," I pleaded, giving her a small smile.

Leah snorted and looked away from me, but I could tell it was to keep from smiling.

"Says the leech lover," Leah huffed.

She looked out of the corner of her eye and me and smiled. I smiled back, knowing I'd been forgiven. She nodded once before walking into the house.

"By the way, Jake's almost here. My guess would be… thirty seconds," Leah informed me before closing the door.

I looked at the closed door for a moment or two before walking around to sit on the tailgate of my truck. I hopped up and swung my legs, waiting for Jake to appear.

True to Leah's word, he came barreling out of the woods about thirty seconds after she'd disappeared into the house. He stopped when he saw me, just watching to see what I would do.

I bit my lip and looked back at him, uncertain of his feelings about the whole thing. I reached out and patted the spot beside me on the tailgate, hoping he'd take me up on the offer. Slowly, he walked towards me, his ears perked forward. When he reached the edge of the truck, he sat in the grass and watched me.

"Giving me the silent treatment, Jake? I think you just lost a few years," I teased.

Jake didn't move, simply continued to stare at me. I sighed and looked down at my hand on the truck.

"I guess I deserve it. I did go off to meet a coven of vampires without telling you. I even lied to you so you'd let me go. I'm sorry I lied to you, but I'm not sorry I went. I had to, Jake. For the pack, I had to go. I never meant for everyone to get so worried. I was just doing what needed to be done for the pack. And for us," I mumbled, glancing up at him briefly.

He tilted his head at my last words, wanting an explanation.

"Edward still hoped I'd go back to him. I had to show him there was no way, that I was too much in love with you to ever consider going back to him," I said.

I bit my lip again and waited for Jake to do something.

He stood up slowly, looked at me one last time, and then turned to go into the woods.

"Jake!" I called, jumping to the ground.

He didn't come back and I felt the ache in my chest start to throb painfully. He didn't forgive me. He was leaving me. He didn't love me anymore.

I felt tears start falling down my face as I stared at the place where he'd disappeared, praying that he'd return. There wasn't so much as a rustle to indicate he was coming back to me.

I fell to the ground on my knees, clutching my chest as the pain rippled through it. I was sobbing uncontrollably the throbbing gradually increased. I knew I was crying out, but couldn't find it in myself to care enough to stop.

"Bella? Bella! Honey, I'm here!"

I felt warm arms wrap around me and pulled me against a solid chest. Instantly, the pain above my heart evaporated as I inhaled Jake's earthy scent. I clutched at him and continued sobbing as he held me close, running his fingers through my hair.

"Shh, honey. I'm here. I'm right here," Jake murmured, placing kisses on top of my head.

"I thought you left," I whimpered, pressing myself more firmly against him.

"I can't leave you, Bells. Not even if I wanted to. I love you too much. I promised you nothing would ever make me stop loving you and I meant it, honey. Nothing. Not even you lying to me to help out the pack," Jake assured me.

"You're not mad?" I asked, pulling away to look up at him.

"Hell yes, I'm mad. But not at you. I know you did what you did because you had to. I saw everything you showed Sam. I understand why you went. I'm mad about the fact that I wasn't smart enough to see through your charade and about the fact that the leech was still trying to take you away from me," Jake growled.

"I told him off," I informed him.

"I saw. I've never been so proud of anyone as I was of you when I saw that," Jake admitted, nuzzling my neck.

"So you forgive me for lying to you?" I asked, wanting to make sure I was completely off the hook.

"Before you even did it," Jake murmured.

He pulled back and kissed me, brushing his lips against mine in the most gentle of caresses. I sighed and pressed my lips more firmly against his. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer, hungering for his heat.

"You know, my dad is with yours fishing and they won't be back till after sundown. My house in completely empty," Jake said suggestively.

"We should go remedy that," I whispered, giving him my best sexy smile.

Jake grinned and scooped me up into his arms, practically running towards his house.

* * *

**Yay! Another chapter!! So, what'd you think? Pretty good, right? Nice little bit of drama between Edward and Bella, I know you all wanted it. And then the whole pack drama. Jeeze! Lot of drama in this chapter! Hahaha! Hoped you enjoyed and I'll see you next chapter!!**


	19. Chapter 19: Water Works

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Nineteen

**Warning: Sexual scene coming up!**

"Home at last," Jake grinned, slamming the door behind him with his foot.

I giggled as he carried me down the hallway to his bedroom. He shut that door with his foot, too. I laughed when he fell onto his bed with me trapped beneath him.

"Are you sure you don't want to watch TV or play a board game or work in the garage or…"

My teasing laughter trailed off as Jake looked at me.

"You know, when you look at me like that, I start thinking you actually love me," I said softly.

"Oh, believe me, Bells. I do," Jake assured me, leaning down to nip my neck lightly.

"Does this mean it's my turn?" I asked, trailing my hand down his chest to the waistband of his shorts.

Jake tensed above me, closing his eyes as I moved my mouth to kiss him. He responded immediately, kissing me back forcefully, plunging his tongue into my mouth. My hand left his shorts and fisted in his hair while the other wrapped around his neck, keeping him in place. His hands moved to pull my shirt off, breaking the kiss for barely a second before he returned. We both moaned at the skin on skin contact. The warmth from his body only fueled the fire inside of me all the more.

I gasped as I felt his lips travel down to my breasts, surprised to find he'd removed my bra without my knowledge. His mouth was already sucking a nipple into his mouth while his hand massaged the other. He groaned as he worked, responding to the sounds I was making. The vibrations caused that familiar feeling to start in my stomach.

"Jake. It's supposed to be my turn," I reminded him breathlessly.

Jake released my breast to kiss his way back to my lips.

"I can't help it. I love the taste of you," Jake sighed, kissing me hungrily.

I moaned against him and pushed on his shoulder. He followed the motion of my hand, turning to fall onto his back. I moved with him and ended up straddling him. I hummed and began working my way down his neck.

"I like this position," Jake grinned as I moved to his chest.

His entire body was a work of art, all muscle and padding. His shoulders were as wide as the length of my arm. I nipped at one of his shoulders, licking away the sting. He jerked beneath me and hissed in pleasure. I smiled against his skin and continued my path down.

His hands fisted in my hair, massaging the back of my head gently as I licked, bit, and sucked his skin on my way down to his shorts. His chest was hard and warm, my favorite pillow. I lingered over his heart, lathering as much attention on the spot as I could before moving on. He sighed as I licked my way down his stomach, tracing the lines of his slight six pack with my tongue.

"Bells," Jake groaned when I bit the skin just above his shorts.

I could feel his erection pressing against my chest and it excited me. I pressed against him, watching as his face contorted in pleasure/pain. He was beautiful with his eyes half closed, his breathing uneven, and his mouth slightly open. I was tempted to crawl back up his body and kiss those luscious lips, but knew if I did, he might take control again.

Instead, I settled for pulling his shorts off him, eager to see him entirely exposed before me. He lifted his hips, helping me remove the last article of clothing keeping me from his massive erection.

"Jake," I gasped when I saw his full length.

He looked down at me to gauge my reaction, but I was completely absorbed in exploring him with my eyes. I had never seen a naked man before except for in science books. They hadn't prepared me for a fully endowed werewolf man-beast. I had no idea how he was going to fit inside me when we finally took that last step.

Jake was still watching me as I tentatively reached out to touch him for the first time. He growled low in his throat and bucked his hips against my hand. I looked up at his face to see his eyes were completely black with desire, watching me intently. I bit my lip and moved my hand down his shaft, watching his face the entire time.

His eyes closed as he started breathing heavily, his body following my movements. I wrapped my hand around him, trying different speeds and pressures to see what drove him wild.

"Is this right?" I asked softly.

"God, yes," Jake groaned, arching against my hand.

"Can I taste you?" I whispered, moving my mouth closer to his head.

"Please," Jake pleaded, his voice rough.

Needing no further encouragement, I opened my mouth and breathed against him. His hips bucked up again, seeking my mouth. I flicked my tongue out to taste the tip of him and he snarled furiously. I glanced up and saw his face looked like he was in pain.

"Did I hurt you?" I frowned.

"Yes. Do it again," Jake demanded, arching his hips up.

I smiled and lowered my mouth back onto his length, taking as much of him into my mouth as possible. Once he was in as far as I could take him, I closed my mouth around him, sucking softly. He snarled again and moved against my mouth. I moved with him so he wouldn't choke me, using my free hand to hold his hips in place.

"Stay still, Jake," I murmured, my lips brushing against his throbbing head.

"Please, Bells. God, please," Jake whimpered, tossing his head.

I grinned and leaned up to place a kiss just above his erection. He sighed, his hand fisting in my hair again, leading me back down. I licked his entire length from base to lip, curling my tongue around him. He growled at me and tightened his hand in my hair, tugging gently. I growled back at him, raking my teeth across him.

"Bella!" Jake nearly shouted.

I fastened my mouth back on him, sucking in earnest, my hand pumping in time with my mouth. Jake was panting uncontrollably now, encouraging me with his breathy moans. His hips were rising and falling slightly as I worked on pleasuring him completely.

"BELLA!" Jake screamed.

I felt him jerk in my mouth as hot liquid spurted into my mouth. I swallowed as quickly as possible, moaning at the taste of him.

He was still panting afterwards, his eyes closed in relaxation. I kissed his hip bone before crawling up to lay against his chest. His arms wrapped around me, holding me close, as I kissed him.

Jake sighed as my tongue flicked out to lick the seam of his lips. He opened his mouth and sucked my tongue inside. I groaned and moved my hips against the leg that was between mine.

"Bells," Jake warned, breaking the kiss.

"Please, Jake?" I asked, nipping at his neck.

"Please, what?" Jake gasped.

"Touch me," I whispered, tugging at his ear.

With a growl, Jake flipped us over so I was lying on the bed. His lips crashed on mine as his hand trailed down my stomach and into the curls between my legs. I gasped as his finger pressed against my clit. My hips arched up, seeking more of him.

Jake continued growling softly as he slipped a finger inside of me. I panted as his finger imitated the movements of sex. I wanted more. Lucky for me, Jake understood without me having to say a word. He stretched me further as another finger was inserted, doubling my pleasure.

"Jake!" I gasped, clutching him to me.

In response, Jake fastened his lips on my neck, sucking the skin between his teeth and biting gently. I cried out at the pleasure the simple act caused as his fingers continued pumping into me.

"Come on, Bells," Jake panted, moving his lips to my ear and sucking the skin beneath.

I moved against his hand, rushing towards the familiar feeling of my orgasm. Jake sensed this and sped up his movements, rubbing his thumb over my clit as he thrust his fingers inside of me. My fingers were clawing at his arms and shoulders, the marks disappearing as soon as they appeared.

"Oh, God! Jake!" I shouted as my orgasm came over me.

Jake growled, burying his head in my neck as I trembled beneath him. We were both panting as I gradually came down from my high.

"God, that was amazing," I moaned as Jake rolled off of me.

"You can say that again," Jake grinned, pulling me against his side.

"God, that was amazing," I repeated, smiling up at him.

"Smarty pants," Jake grumbled, giving me a mock glare.

I laughed lightly as he tightened his hold on me. He kissed my forehead and I sighed, snuggling in closer.

"I love you, Bella," Jake murmured.

"I love you, too," I mumbled as sleep took over my body.

* * *

"You little bitch!"

I laughed and threw the now empty bucket on the ground as I ran around the side of Sam's house to escape Leah's wrath. She was right on my tail, being the werewolf that she was, and tackled me to the ground easily.

"I can't believe you just did that!" Leah gasped, sitting on top of me.

"You said you were hot!" I pointed out, still laughing.

"That didn't mean you could toss a bucket of soapy water on me!" Leah shouted.

I continued laughing and tried to get out from under her.

"You know I'm going to have to pay you back, right?" Leah said menacingly.

I stopped laughing and looked up at her, a little worried about what she was going to do to me. She tapped her chin with her finger and looked around.

"Now, where'd we put that hose?" Leah asked, moving to get off me.

"NO!" I cried and scrambled out from underneath her.

She laughed and ran to get the hose. I tried to get as far away from her as possible, but it still wasn't far enough. I felt a jet of cold water hit me square in the back.

"LEAH!" I screamed, jumping out of the way.

The spray followed me and I was completely soaked in no time. Seeing as I was already drenched, I ran towards the hose to try and wrestle it away from Leah. She was laughing too hard to realize what I was planning until it was too late. The hose was in my hands and I was spraying her.

"Come on, Bella! That's cold!" Leah yelled, trying to duck away.

"I know!" I laughed, following her.

The hose started drooping in my hands and I looked down at it, frowning. The water had stopped. I spun around to see who had cut the water off to see Sam standing there, his arms crossed.

"What are you two doing?" Sam asked, frowning.

I giggled and twirled the hose around in my hands.

"Washing my truck," I answered, grinning.

"Doesn't look like the truck's the one getting clean," Sam pointed out.

"Well, Leah said she was hot. I helped cool her off, but she got mad and attacked me with the hose. I had to retaliate," I shrugged.

Sam just raised an eyebrow.

"What?" I shouted, throwing my hands up.

Sam didn't have time to answer. As soon as the word was out of my mouth, I felt a bucket of water being dumped on my head.

I gasped and spun around.

"LEAH!" I screamed again, whacking her over the head with the hose.

Leah laughed and tugged the hose out of my hands.

"You're dangerous when washing cars, Bella," Leah claimed.

I huffed and crossed my arms across my chest.

"I was doing just fine, thank you very much. It wasn't until you decided to help that I got distracted," I pointed out.

Leah grinned and motioned for Sam to turn the hose back on.

"No, Sam! She's going to spray me!" I yelled, running around the side of my truck.

"No, she's not. Are you, Leah?" Sam warned.

"Of course not," Leah agreed.

Sam nodded and turned the hose on. While he was still bent over the spigot, Leah turned the hose on him. He jumped with a howl and spun around on Leah.

"Big mistake, Clearwater," Sam growled.

Leah just laughed and continued spraying him. I grinned as Sam and Leah ran around the yard, each trying to get the other wet. Sam had grabbed up the empty bucket Leah had just dumped on me and was attempting to catch the water Leah was spraying him with.

"What's going on out here?" Emily demanded, coming outside and walking down the steps.

Sam and Leah froze and looked at her. They looked at each other and then looked at her. I knew she was in trouble when they both grinned.

"Run, Emily!" I tried to warn.

Emily's eyes widened and she turned to run, but it was too late. Leah had already caught her in the stream of water and Sam tossed the bucket of water on her. Emily screamed and ran to hide behind the truck with me.

"No! Now, they're going to get us both!" I laughed and ran around to try and escape the two werewolves.

Emily was right on my tail as we tried to outrun the two with the water. The front yard was already soaked from the earlier round of water fights. Now, the entire yard was like a mud slide.

As Emily and I ran to get to safety, we slipped on the wet, muddy grass and slid across the yard, holding onto each other the whole way. We came to a stop in the middle of the yard only to be plowed into by two very heavy werewolves.

"SAM!" Emily screeched.

I laughed as we ended up completely tangled and covered in mud. I was on the bottom of the pile with Emily on top of me and Sam and Leah on top of her. Despite the fact that I was being crushed, I couldn't stop laughing.

"That, haha… was… hahaha… fun!" I gasped, struggling to breath between laughter.

The others were laughing as well, all struggling to get off of me. I huffed when Emily's elbow ended up in my ribs.

"Sam! Watch your knee!" Leah giggled.

"Watch _your_ shoulder, Leah!" Emily countered, laughing as well.

"All of you, get off!" I shouted, busting out laughing again.

"Now this brings a whole new meaning to the term 'dog pile'."

We all looked up at the new voice. Seth, Paul, and Jared were standing about two feet away from us, smiling at our misfortune.

"Shut up, Seth," Leah gasped, trying to regain her breath.

"Need some help, there, Leah?" Paul grinned.

"Not from you, flea bag," Leah glared.

"Can someone get them off of me? Having a little trouble breathing here," I informed them.

Jared and Paul stepped forward to help untangle the three people on top of me while Seth squatted down to talk to me.

"What were you doing, Bella?" Seth chuckled.

"Oh, you know. Just washing my truck," I answered nonchalantly.

"This is how you wash your truck?" Seth asked.

"Of course! Isn't this how you wash cars?" I asked in all seriousness.

Seth laughed and shook his head.

"Not quite. I try to keep the water on the vehicle. Most people do, I hear," Seth informed me.

"You've got to be kidding me! That's no fun at all!" I cried as Emily was finally lifted off my back.

"I know! Crazy, right?" Seth grinned, reaching out to help me up.

"I'll say," I huffed, standing up completely.

"None of us are going into my nice, clean house like this. Seth, grab the hose and rinse us off," Emily ordered, pointing to the hose in the grass.

"With pleasure," Seth agreed, hurrying over to it.

Seth turned the hose on us while Paul encouraged him to aim for certain parts on our bodies. Seeing as how Emily and I were already imprinted and Leah was Seth's sister, he ignored Paul's jeering and simply focused on rinsing us off.

"Clean enough, yet, Em?" Seth asked, twisting the hose around to stop the flow of water.

"Yes, Seth. Thank you," Emily answered, shivering slightly from the cold water.

"Ugh! Cold!" I complained, rubbing my arms.

"Feels fine to me," Leah shrugged.

"Wonder why. Maybe it's because you're about ten degrees hotter than me!" I pointed out loudly.

"No need to shout! I'm right here!" Leah yelled.

I glared at her and moved to tackle her back onto the ground, but Emily stepped between us.

"No more fighting. You are not coming into my house all muddy and Seth is not going to rinse you off again," Emily ordered.

"Yes, Emily," Leah and I agreed dutifully.

"Good. Now, let's go get some dry clothes," Emily suggested, pulling us both into the house.

"We actually came to get Sam. Something's along the border. No big deal, just want to check it out," Jared informed us.

"Oh. Does Leah need to come?" I frowned.

"No. Keep her with you. Just in case," Sam said.

"Be safe," Emily murmured, giving Sam a swift kiss.

"I will. I love you. Be back soon," Sam assured her before hurrying off.

I glanced over at Leah to see how she was handling the little exchange between her cousin and former boyfriend. She looked to be a little worried, but the romantic scene between the two imprints didn't seem to bother her.

"Howl if you need me," Leah instructed.

"Will do," Seth promised before following the others into the woods.

Emily sighed after they were gone and turned back to us. She looked Leah and I over and shook her head.

"Let's get ourselves cleaned up," Emily sighed, ushering us into the house.

She walked us back into her and Sam's room and began rifling through a chest at the foot of the bed. She pulled out clothes for Leah before moving to her closet and pulling out clothes for herself and me.

"One of you can use the bathroom and the other can change in here. I'll wait," Emily offered, walking out of the room.

Leah followed, saying she'd use the bathroom. The door closed behind them and I hurried to get dressed. Emily had given me a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. The jeans were a little big on me, but so was the t-shirt. I didn't have to worry about showing off anything I didn't want to.

"All yours, Em," I called, walking out of the bathroom.

Emily grinned at me as she walked into her bedroom, shutting the door softly behind her. I walked into the kitchen and put on a pot of hot water for tea or hot chocolate. The water from the hose had been cold and mixed with the not-so-warm weather outside, I was freezing. I figured Emily would be, too, and we could both use a little pick-me-up.

Once the water was set, I walked out of the kitchen and towards the back of the house, intending to throw all our wet clothes into the dryer. The bedroom and bathroom doors opened across from each other at the same time. Emily and Leah both stepped out and bumped into each other.

I stopped and stared at them for a moment as they stared at each other. I could feel their emotions as they waited for the other to do something.

"I'm sorry."

I blinked in surprise. They had both said the exact same words at the exact same time. From the emotions in the room, I could tell that the apology was more than just for bumping into each other. Leah was finally letting go of her hatred for the imprinting and Emily was attempting to mend the gap between them once again.

The two women smiled at each other before hugging hesitantly. I felt tears creep up into my eyes as I watched the two cousins embracing in the middle of the hallway.

"Oh, you guys!" I cried, rushing forward to hug them as well.

Leah and Emily broke apart, laughing at me slightly. I pulled them both into a hug, happy they were finally able to heal the hurt that had torn them apart.

"Who wants some hot chocolate or tea?" I asked, bouncing away from them.

They laughed at me again and followed me into the kitchen. Steam was rising from the pot and I hurried to set out three cups, the happiness and peace in the room making me feel lighter than air.

We all sat at the table and chatted over our mugs about nonsense, keeping our minds off the new trail that the boys had picked up. When the mugs were empty, Emily started making dinner for the boys while Leah and I attempted to help. Turns out, Leah can't cook to save her life. Emily and I quickly banished her from the kitchen, insisting she set up the table.

"They're coming," Leah informed us about half an hour before dinner was done.

"How soon?" Emily asked.

"Not sure. Soon, though," Leah shrugged, watching the door.

I closed my eyes and reached out to Sam, hoping to find a definite answer to Emily's question.

"Less than ten minutes," I told them.

"We'd best be quick, then," Emily grinned, double timing her efforts.

I smiled and hurried to help her.

Ten minutes later, the entire pack walked into the house. As soon as they smelled dinner, they were eagerly crowding around the kitchen. Sam stood by Emily, one arm wrapped around her waist as he snuck a peak at what was cooking.

"Hey there, beautiful."

I smiled and turned around to greet Jake.

"Well, hello, handsome," I purred, leaning up to kiss him.

One of his arms wrapped around my waist while the other came up to cup my cheek. He held me close as we greeted each other properly. I was more than a little breathless when he pulled away.

"What are you wearing?" Jake chuckled, looking down at my clothes.

"What? Emily let me borrow them," I frowned, smacking his stomach.

"So that's why you smell funny," Jake murmured, nuzzling into my neck.

"I smell funny?" I squeaked, sniffing at my sleeve.

"Not bad. Just different. Not like you," Jake clarified.

"I smell like Emily?" I asked.

"Mhmm," Jake hummed, kissing my ear.

I giggled and rubbed said ear against my shoulder.

"Did you enjoy the water fight?" Jake asked.

"How'd you know about that?" I asked with narrowed eyes, smiling slightly.

"Wolf mind, remember?" Jake grinned.

"Ah. Right," I nodded.

"Love you," Jake mumbled, kissing my temple.

"You're just saying that because I have the ability to make sure you don't eat tonight," I declared.

Jake laughed and kissed me again.

"True. So true."

I gasped and swung my spoon at him. He leapt out of the way, laughing all the while.

"You know I'm teasing," Jake cooed, grabbing my wrist and pulling me closer.

"Ugh! Enough already! It's bad enough we have to see it when we're phased!" Leah grumbled.

I laughed and turned to look at the pack. They all seemed to be in relatively good moods, leaving me to assume that nothing bad had come from their little excursion.

"Alright, if you aren't at the table, you aren't eating," Emily stated, moving the food towards the table.

It was a mad rush to the table as the pack hurried to their seats. Emily smiled and winked at me as we placed the food on the table. We grabbed a seat for ourselves and settled down to a meal with the family.

I waited until they had finished their first two helpings before starting on the new trail.

"So, find anything interesting on the hunt?" I asked, taking a sip of my drink.

"Turned out to be nothing. Apparently, the Cullens wanted reinforcements with the threat of the Volturi coming and called in a few favors. There are going to be quite a few new scents running around the woods. How they think that will help, I have no clue. It just makes it that much harder for us to tell who is a threat and who isn't," Sam grumbled, glaring at the table.

"Why don't we set up a meeting so you can smell out all the new vampires?" I suggested.

All sets of eyes turned to glare at me. I glared right back, refusing to back down.

"Look, you all know it makes sense. You need to be able to tell who is who. You already know the Cullens' scent. Why not learn the new comers' scents? You're going to need it in the long run," I pointed out.

"We don't need the help of our enemies," Sam said.

"Yes, we do. Sam, I've seen you. You all have. In my dream, it's us working with them against the Volturi that makes sure we win. If we try to fight without their help, we're all going to die," I told him.

That instantly had everyone in an uproar. Those with imprints didn't want the Volturi to ever have a chance to get near them and were willing to do what ever it took to insure their safety. Those who didn't have imprints just wanted to kill vampires and were certain the pack could protect everyone.

"QUIET!" I shouted, standing up.

All eyes turned to look up at me.

"There is no possible way we could win this battle without the Cullens' help. There are way too many Volturi members for us to handle alone. We are going to need their help, whether you like it or not.

"Now, we can all be civil about it and set up a meeting in order to discuss some of the strategies that we'll need. Or, we can be complete barbarians and just attack whoever the hell comes onto our land, not caring if we break the treaty or not," I declared.

There was silence as everyone took in my words. I felt Jake's hand slip into mine and glanced down at him. One look and I knew he was behind me one hundred percent. I squeezed his hand and looked over the table at Sam to find him watching me.

"You'll set up this meeting? You have the most contact with them," Sam asked.

"Of course," I agreed.

Jake growled softly and his grip tightened on my hand. Leah didn't try to hide her growl like Jake had and actually banged her fists on the table.

"I won't go alone, though," I added quickly to ease them both.

I felt the tension in the room drop considerable and breathed easier. Jake's grip loosened on my hand and I squeezed it again.

"Who do you want to go with you?" Sam asked, frowning slightly.

"Leah and Jake, for obvious reasons. And then anyone else you think will be necessary," I answered.

Leah relaxed enough to slump in her chair and Jake brought my hand to his lips for a swift kiss. I smiled at both of them before focusing back on Sam.

"Take Quil and Embry with you as well. The rest of us will stay here in wolf form just in case. We'll be right along the border," Sam decided.

"Fine with me. We'll go tomorrow," I said.

* * *

**I feel so terrible. I am so incredibly sorry I haven't updated. I know it's been forever. I tried to update two days ago, but one of my friends decided to just pop in and I had to stop. Because it took me so long, I tried to make this chapter a little longer than usual. **

**I'm really hoping I can update again within the next day or so, but I have two books to read before the week is done. If I get them done now, I'll be free this weekend to write more.**

**Again, you guys, I am so, so sorry this chapter took so long. **


	20. Chapter 20: BackUp

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Twenty

I realized that most people would be nervous going into a house that had unknown vampires inside, but I found myself looking forward to it. I was eager to meet these vampires who had known the Cullens for decades, possibly even centuries.

I was the only one who was even remotely at ease, though. Leah was constantly clenching her fists in an effort to keep her cool. Jake was gripping my hand tightly and kept glancing around as if expecting us to be ambushed. Embry's arms were trembling and he was having trouble keeping his lips together. Quil was the only other one who seemed okay with being there, but he was still struggling somewhat. His fists were clenched and trembling.

"Ready?" I asked, putting my hand on the door handle of the Rabbit.

"Are you sure it's safe?" Jake asked for the hundredth time.

"Of course. Now, get your tail out from between your legs and let's move it!" I teased, climbing out of the car.

Jake, Leah, Quil, and Embry were right behind me. Jake ran around to meet me in front of the car, grabbing my hand in his own. Leah stood on my other side with Quil and Embry behind us.

"Chill, guys. They're not going to attack," I soothed, trying to calm them down.

"We don't know these leeches, Bella. We don't have a treaty with them," Jake frowned.

"Well, that's why we're here," I pointed out.

We still hadn't moved from the car. Sighing softly, I started walking, pulling Jake along behind me. He quickly moved so that he was leading me. He walked up the front steps and simply stared at the door.

Shaking my head at him, I reached around him and knocked sharply. Two seconds later, the door opened and everyone around me stiffened.

A beautiful young woman stood in the doorway. She was obviously had a Spanish heritage with her thick black hair and darker skin tone. Her golden eyes looked over the five of us briefly before she smiled widely and opened the door further.

"Can I help you?" she asked, her accent coming through.

I looked to Jake, expecting him to conduct the meeting, but he was glaring at the woman before us, his entire body tense. I glanced around at the rest of the pack and noticed they were in similar positions. Rolling my eyes at them, I moved to step forward.

"Hi. I'm Bella Swam. We're here to see Carlisle. Is he in?" I asked politely.

The woman's eyes brightened as she looked me over.

"So you're the little human we've all come to help protect!" she exclaimed, smiling wider.

"I guess," I shrugged, blushing slightly.

"Well, come on in. Carlisle's upstairs in his study with a few of the others, working out plans. I'm sure he won't mind the interruption, though," she assured me.

"Thanks," I smiled, following her into the house.

Jake yanked me back outside, growling softly. The woman stopped and turned to frown at us in confusion.

"Jake. Cool it. We need to go inside if we're going to do this," I hissed.

"I go in first," Jake bit back.

"Well, then, go. We don't have all day," I huffed, waving him on.

Jake frowned at me, but walked through the door. I followed directly behind him with Leah, Embry, and Quil following me. The Spanish woman smiled at me. I returned it a little apologetically.

"This way," she motioned.

We walked through the front room and towards the staircase. There were numerous vampires that I didn't know clustered around the front room. They watched us as we followed the Spanish vampire up the stairs to Carlisle's study.

She paused outside of Carlisle's office and knocked on the door lightly.

"Come in," Carlisle called.

She smiled at us and opened the door.

"Bella is here with some of her pack, Carlisle," the woman informed him.

"Yes. Of course. Send them in, Carmen," Carlisle answered, his voice bright.

The vampire, Carmen, pulled back and motioned for us to enter the room.

"Thank you," I murmured as we passed by.

Jake stood just by the door as it closed behind us. Taking hold of my hand, he prevented me from going further into the room. Leah stood just slightly in front of me on the opposite side. Quil and Embry stood directly on my right and left, our backs to the wall.

Carlisle was bent over his desk, looking over plans stretched out across it. Edward was beside him, watching us with a mixture of incredulousness and contempt. There were seven other vampires in the room with them, all focused on us.

"Bella! So good to see you again. And this is some of your pack?" Carlisle smiled, coming forward.

Jake growled and Carlisle stopped a few feet away from us.

"Stop it," I scolded, slapping his arm.

Jake cut off his growl, but continued baring his teeth at the vampires in the room. Leah, Quil, and Embry weren't much better. I wondered briefly if bringing them along had been a good idea.

I dropped Jake's hand and darted between him and Leah before any of them could make a move to stop me. Before they could move, I walked up and hugged Carlisle.

"I'm sorry they're being so rude. It's all the unknown vampires," I explained, laughing slightly.

"Understandable," Carlisle chuckled, patting my back.

I pulled away from him and turned to glare at my pack members.

"Now, stop being all wolfy and relax. They're not going to hurt me or you," I insisted.

"Bella. Come back here," Jake gritted, his eyes flashing with concern.

"Jake. Please?" I whined, pouting slightly.

He jerked a little, as if my pleas had caused him slight pain. I knew that as his imprint, he wanted to give me anything I desired, but he couldn't go against his instincts that told him vampires were dangerous. His conflicting emotions were causing him to hurt.

I was instantly across the room, grasping his hand. His grip tightened on mine almost painfully. I leaned up and kissed the underside of his jaw, reassuring him of my safety. His entire body relaxed as soon as my lips touched his skin.

"Sorry. She's my imprint," Jake breathed as a way of explanation to the vampires.

"No need to explain, Jacob. We understand," Carlisle assured him with a small smile.

"So, now that that's out of the way, let's get down to business," I grinned, rubbing my hands together.

"So this isn't a social call?" Carlisle teased.

"Not quite," I laughed.

"You didn't warn us about the new vampires that would be in the area. If you had, we would have set this up much sooner. We need to be able to recognize your… friends from the Volturi," Jake explained.

"Sam would like for us to set up a meeting for everyone. When would be the best time for you?" I asked politely.

"We could meet tonight. In the clearing. If that is agreeable to you and your Alpha?" Carlisle offered.

"Hold on one sec," I hummed, closing my eyes.

I reached through the pack mind to contact Sam. He and the rest of the pack were patrolling the border between La Push and the Cullens' territory.

_What's up, Bella?_ Sam asked as soon as our minds linked.

_Hey, Sam. Carlisle wants to know if you're up for a meet tonight at the clearing?_ I explained.

_Midnight?_

"Does midnight work for you?" I asked Carlisle, tilting my head to the side.

Ugh. I'd been hanging out with wolves for way too long.

"We'll be there," Carlisle agreed.

_You catch that, Sam?_ I asked.

_Got it,_ Sam answered.

I closed off the mind link and smiled at those around me.

"Sam says it sounds good. We'll meet you there tonight," I informed them.

"We will see you then," Carlisle nodded.

Quil and Embry started backing out of the room while Leah and Jake waited for me.

"Is Alice here?" I asked, not wanting to leave without speaking to her.

"Of course. I believe she's in her room. You are more than welcome to go see her," Carlisle smiled.

"Thanks, Carlisle. See you later," I waved, walking out of the room.

Jake and Leah followed after me and we stood in the hallway.

"You guys don't have to hang around, but I need to see Alice and Esme," I said.

"You're not staying here without some form of protection," Jake growled, his eyes narrowed.

I smiled up at him, reaching up to give him a kiss. When I pulled away, his face was relaxed and calm. I giggled lightly as he opened his eyes, giving me a grin.

"Love you," I murmured.

"I love you, too," Jake replied, kissing me again.

"Now, you are not coming with me to talk to Alice. We need girl time," I insisted when he pulled away.

His face instantly darkened and he opened his mouth to reply, but I beat him to it.

"Leah is coming with me instead," I blurted out.

His jaw snapped closed and he glanced at Leah.

"Fine," Leah grumbled.

I laughed and grabbed her hand.

"It'll be fine. I promise not to let her put he leech clothes on you," I teased.

Leah's eyes widened and she actually looked afraid.

"I was kidding, Leah," I laughed.

"Better be," Leah mumbled as I pulled her towards Alice's room.

Jake, Quil, and Embry glanced at each other. I turned around before smiling at them.

"Why don't you guys go find Emmett and Jasper? I'm sure they'll keep you occupied," I suggested.

Without waiting for their answer, I turned and pulled Leah down the hall. I stopped outside Alice's door and reached up to knock. Before I could, the door opened and Alice was bouncing on the balls of her feet, smiling widely at me.

"Bella!" Alice cried, jumping forward to hug me tightly.

"Hi, Alice," I smiled.

"Hello, Leah. It's nice to meet you. In your not furry form," Alice chuckled.

Leah glared and bared her teeth at Alice.

"Stop it," I scolded, glaring at her.

"It's fine, Bella. Mortal enemies and all," Alice shrugged.

"Not for long if I have anything to say about it," I insisted.

Alice just laughed and pulled me further into her room. Leah followed one step behind. Alice and I flopped down on the bed while Leah stood uncomfortably beside us. I looked up at her and sighed.

"You can sit down, you know. She's not going to hurt us," I shook my head.

"I don't want to smell like a leech anymore than I already will," Leah glared.

Alice hissed at her and Leah growled in response.

"Stop it. Both of you," I frowned.

They stayed in their crouched positions, leaning towards each other, but stopped making threatening noises.

"You two are going to have to get used to each other. I will bring the vampires and the werewolves together. The sooner you accept it, the easier it will go," I huffed.

"Just because we've agreed to fight with them doesn't mean we have to like them," Leah snarled.

"Ridiculous!" I cried, throwing my hands up.

The two looked at me, frowning.

"You two need to set an example! I need your help. Please, just try to get along," I pleaded, getting desperate.

Alice and Leah looked at each other with contempt. Slowly, they leaned forward until they were right the other's face. They were both gritting their teeth in an attempt to keep back their growls.

"We'll work together," Alice stated.

"Just in order to win this fight," Leah finished.

Alice stuck her hand out. Leah looked at it for a long minute before putting her own in Alice's briefly. They dropped hands almost as soon as they touched, jerking away from all forms of contact.

I squealed, clapping my hands and jumping up and down.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" I cried, hugging them both.

"Ugh! Bella!" Leah snapped, tugging out of my embrace.

"The stench!" Alice added, snorting.

I rolled my eyes and settled back on the bed. I flopped down, flinging my arms out to the side and looked out up at the ceiling. Alice's face popped into view.

"So, Bella. You know that senior prom is coming up," Alice grinned.

"Yeah," I answered slowly.

I wasn't sure where she was going with this.

"Dress shopping!" Alice squealed, bouncing up and down on the bed.

"NO! No, Alice," I shouted, sitting up abruptly, my eyes wide.

Alice looked at me with her puppy-dog eyes. I turned sharply to Leah, begging her with my eyes to help me. Leah was watching Alice, though, paying little attention to me.

"Bel-la," Alice whined.

I glanced over at her out of the corner of my eyes. She had her hands clasped in front of her, silently pleading me.

"Alice. No," I complained.

"Please," Alice pouted.

I gritted my teeth in an attempt to hold in the traitorous yes that was forming on my tongue. And then, she did the absolute worse thing possible to an Omega who was bound to a wolf pack.

She whimpered. Like a little puppy.

"Fine!" I cried.

I threw my arms around Alice, my instincts telling me to comfort her. Alice laughed and hugged me back, bouncing on the bed again.

"I'm so excited! We'll go this weekend!" Alice exclaimed, clapping her hands as she pulled away.

"I don't know if the guys will be okay with that, Bella," Leah frowned.

"Well, you'll just have to come with us and be Bella's body guard," Alice grinned.

Leah jerked back, surprised. I smiled at her and Alice laughed.

"Come on, Leah. It'll be fun. Shopping," I enticed sarcastically.

Leah grimaced and looked at the floor, trying to decide.

"Please, Leah? It's the only way Sam and Jacob will let her go," Alice asked.

Leah's gaze snapped up to Alice's in shock. I was a little surprised, too. Just a few minutes ago, they'd been ready to rip each other apart. Now, Alice was asking Leah to go shopping. It really was kind of funny when I thought about it.

"Okay. If Sam agrees," Leah whispered.

Alice squealed and clapped her hands again. I laughed as she flung her arms around me again. Leah smiled slightly and moved closer, perching on the edge of Alice's bed.

I felt the shift. We were one step closer to bringing the two species together.

* * *

The tension in the air was palpable. I could, almost literally, reach out my hand and touch it. I glanced over at Jasper to see how he was handling everyone's emotions. He was smiling slightly, his hands behind his back, watching me. When he caught my eyes, he winked and smiled wider. I smiled back, shaking my head.

All the covens that had been at the Cullen's house this morning were warily watching my pack. Sam was human, standing in front of the rest of us. The others were circled around me, protecting me from their enemy. Seth was, once again, at my side.

I sighed, waiting for the staring match to be over. A few of the vampires smiled at my obvious impatience. I grinned back and shrugged.

I had met all the new vampires earlier while visiting Alice.

The Denali clan was standing closer to the Cullens and my wolves than any other coven. Carmen was holding Eleazar's hand, smiling at me softly. Irina, Kate, and Tanya were right beside them, watching us cautiously. One of the American nomads, Garrett, was standing by Kate, holding her hand as he stood a little in front of her.

Jasper and Alice were standing with the American nomads, specifically Peter and Charlotte. I knew Jasper had been with Peter for quite some time before Alice had found him. Randall and Mary were with them, each happy to see each other after a long time of being apart. They were friends who would occasionally find each other in their travels.

On the other the Denali's was the Irish coven. Carlisle held a soft spot for the leader of that coven, Siobhan. She was a large woman, but had a kind heart and easy laugh which was good seeing as her mate, Liam, was extremely hard-faced. They were both protective over Maggie who definitely looked Irish with her bouncy red curls.

The Amazon coven was behind the others, looking very stern. Kachiri, Senna, and Zafrina scared me the most with their hard features, animal skin clothing, and large bodies. Beside them were the Egyptians, Amun, Kebi, Benjamin, and Tia. The European nomad, Alastair, was standing by them.

The last two were the oddest. Stefan and Vladimir were the Roman vampires. The Volturi had replaced them when they took control of the vampire world. They were hoping to reclaim their place of power by defeating the Volturi in this battle.

A few of them had powers that could be used during the battle. My eyes picked out those vampires easily. Kate could shock anyone who came close to her, but it was all in the victim's mind. I'd watched as she knocked Garrett flat on his back. Zafrina planted pictures in your mind and made you think you were somewhere else. Benjamin could control the elements with ease. Maggie could tell when she was being lied to and normally made it known with a hiss of anger. Siobhan could affect the outcome of any event just by willing it in the direction she wanted. Alistair was a tracker, though not as dangerous as the Volturi's.

Neither Kate nor Zafrina's powers worked on me. We had attempted both earlier that afternoon, much to Jake's disproval. I smiled fondly at him as I also scolded him internally.

* * *

_**Flashback**_

Alice led me and Leah downstairs, absolutely giddy over the thought of our shopping trip. I glanced around the room, looking for my wolf. He, Embry, and Quil were standing against the wall between the stairs and the door. He relaxed slightly when I came to stand in front of him.

"Ready to go home?" I asked softly, taking his hand in mine.

"Not yet, Bella. We want to make introductions first," Carlisle answered before Jake could.

Jake frowned at Carlisle, but nodded his head once.

Suddenly, there were a lot more vampires in the room. They were all watching me intently. Jake growled softly and tightened his grip on my hand, pulling me closer to him and wrapping an arm around my waist.

"Shh," I murmured, rubbing his chest.

"Not to worry, Jacob. No one here will harm Bella," Carlisle assured him.

Jake's gaze darted around the room, assessing each vampire individually. Slowly, Jake nodded, giving Carlisle permission.

Carlisle smiled and motioned for a few of the vampires to come over. We were introduced to each of the vampires by their coven. I knew the wolves would remember all of them and I would be able to pick their minds for names and relations. I immediately recognized the last group Carlisle waved forward.

"This is the Denali clan. Tanya, Irina, Kate, Eleazar, and Carmen," Carlisle introduced.

"Nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you all," I smiled.

The three sisters were similar in color and each one was breathtakingly beautiful. Each had blond hair, though Tanya's was curly while the others' were straight. I was positive they had each had blue eyes before their change.

"Nice to meet you, too, Bella. We've heard much about you, too," Tanya greeted.

"If it was from Emmett, none of it is true," I claimed, laughing slightly.

They all laughed with me and I heard Emmett growl. Jake snarled in response. I sighed and reached up to rub his chest soothingly again. The rumbling stopped and he looked down at me.

"Be nice," I admonished softly.

Jake scowled and turned back to the vampires. Carmen stepped forward with the only male in the coven. I figured he was Eleazar.

"It's nice to meet you, Bella," Carmen smiled.

"You, too," I agreed.

Jake growled again and pulled me behind his back. I frowned and followed his gaze to see who he was growling at this time. Carmen's mate was staring at me intently, his golden eyes wide and unblinking. It was a little creepy and I moved further behind Jake, unsure of Eleazar's intentions. Jake sensed my spike in fear and growled louder.

Embry, Quil, and Leah sensed it as well and moved into formation. Embry and Quil stood on either side of Jake, effectively blocking me from view. Leah was positioned behind Quil on my left. It was a typical defensive position.

"Stop staring at Bella," Jake ground out.

"I'm sorry. Your mate, though. She is blocking me," Eleazar frowned, glancing briefly at Jake before returning his attention to me.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Jake asked, tightening his hold on my hand.

"I think she's a shield," Eleazar answered slowly.

The entire room got quiet. Everyone was looking at me with open curiosity and interest. I blushed and ducked further behind the guys.

"That would explain things," Carlisle murmured.

"What things? What's he talking about? What the hell is going on?" Jake roared, quickly losing his control.

I saw Jasper move out of the corner of my eye, but I was already ahead of him. I opened my connection to Jake and let him feel how safe I felt, how I wasn't scared with him there. He calmed down gradually, relaxing his shoulders as he went. He squeezed my hand in thanks.

"Explain," Jake ordered, his voice hard.

"Eleazar has the ability to sense power and abilities in people," Carlisle said.

Jake frowned, waiting for more information.

"Your mate is blocking me. I can't get a read on her. I should be able to read her Omega abilities, but I'm not getting anything. She's completely blank. The only plausible explanation is that she is a shield," Eleazar continued.

"What the hell does that mean?" Jake gritted, losing his patience.

"Exactly what I said. She's blocking me from reading her. I don't know how else I can explain it to you," Eleazar growled, frustrated.

"I can't read her mind, Eleazar. Do you think this shield of hers is blocking her from me?" Edward asked, coming forward from the back of the room.

"Possibly. I've never heard of a human having such a strong power manifesting before their change," Eleazar admitted.

Everyone was listening to the exchange with rapt attention. Eleazar was frowning at the floor, Edward reading his thoughts.

Suddenly, Edward snarled and lunged at Eleazar. Carlisle grabbed hold of him and pulled him back, Jasper and Emmett moving to help him. Jake backed up, pushing me further against the wall in an effort to keep me from getting hurt.

"NO!" Edward shouted as Emmett and Jasper pulled me out of the room.

"Calm down, Edward. It was just a thought," Eleazar shrugged.

"What did you think?" Carmen frowned in concern.

"I just wondered if Bella would be immune to Kate's power," Eleazar explained.

"What's her power?" Jake asked, glaring at the vampire in question.

"I shock people. Or rather, I make them think they're getting shocked," Kate answered.

"That's not very impressive," Quil snorted.

"Oh, really?" Kate smirked.

We all watched as she reached over and touched Garrett, who had been standing by her for the duration of the meeting. Garrett grinned as she reached for him. As soon as her hand connected with him, he fell to the floor, convulsing.

Jake roared and backed me completely into the wall, pressing his back against my chest.

"Stay away from her!" Jake growled.

"Jake," I murmured, wrapping my arms around his waist.

His arm flew to cover mine, keeping me close to him. He was still growling, along with the others. They had moved to stand in front of Jake, blocking me completely.

"Shh, honey. It's okay. I'm okay," I whispered into his back, placing a few kisses along his spine.

He was trembling from the force of his emotions, unable to contain himself.

"I think we should try it," Alice piped up.

Jake snarled in her direction causing Jasper to respond in a similar manner. Alice just rolled her eyes as Jasper crouched in front of her. She huffed a breath as she caught my eye.

"Calm down, Jazz. He's not going to do anything," Alice assured him.

Jasper stood up, but kept his eyes glued to Jake.

"I promise, I'll only do it a little. I'd never do to Bella what I did to Garrett. Garrett's just a pain junky," Kate chuckled.

"It's the hottest thing I've ever experienced," Garrett shrugged, eyeing Kate.

Kate rolled her eyes and turned to look at me through the russet colored bodies.

"What do you think, Bella? No more than a static shock," Kate offered.

I contemplated it. How bad could it be, really? Besides, if it was all mental, she probably wouldn't be able to hurt me.

"Sure," I agreed.

Jake snarled furiously and spun around to face me, grabbing my arms. His eyes were wild as they locked onto mine. He shook me gently, pulling me up to his level.

"You will not," Jake snapped, his teeth bared.

"Jake," I murmured.

"No!" Jake cut me off.

I smiled softly at him and brought my hands up to frame his face. His anger crumbled to be replaced by absolute terror. I stroked his face, hoping to calm him down.

"She won't hurt me, honey," I murmured, leaning forward to place a kiss on his lips.

He didn't move to kiss me, so I kissed his eyelids, his cheek bones, his nose, his forehead, anywhere I could reach. His breathing gradually evened out and he was able to set me back on my feet. He pulled me into his chest and I buried my face into his warmth.

"Just once, Bells. I can't take any more than once," Jake whispered into my hair brokenly.

I nodded and pulled away from him slightly. Embry, Quil, and Leah were still blocking the others from getting too close to us, but once Jake stepped away, they parted and let us pass through.

Jake frowned at Kate and kept me behind him.

"One shock. Lowest setting," Jake ordered.

Kate nodded, her face serious. She knew this was hard for Jake to do, but it needed to be done. We had to know what my shield entailed.

"I have to touch her. If it works, she'll only get a slight shock like touching metal after rubbing your feet across carpet," Kate explained before she did anything.

Jake nodded, his entire body tense.

Kate smiled at me and held out her hand for mine. Watching Jake's face the whole time, I moved my hand into hers. It seemed like everyone in the room was holding their breath, waiting.

"Are you doing it yet?" I frowned, turning to look at Kate.

She was watching my hand, her face scrunched up in concentration. Finally, she let my hand fall, huffing in frustration.

"It doesn't work. And that wasn't low," Kate frowned.

"What?" Jake shouted, pulling me behind him again.

Kate was instantly behind Garrett and the two men were growling at each other.

"Stop it! Stop right now, Jacob Black!" I yelled, tugging him back.

He stumbled back a step and stopped growling.

"You said a little shock. What the hell, leech?" Jake glared.

"I started with the lowest setting, but when it didn't work, I turned it up. It didn't hurt her, so I don't know why you're getting angry," Kate pointed out.

"It's true, Jake. I'm completely fine," I assured him.

He glanced back at me, assessing the damage for himself. When he had assured himself that I was, in fact, perfectly fine, he relaxed. He sighed and ran his hand over his face.

"No more. I can't take any more today," Jake pleaded.

I felt tears well up in my eyes at his obvious pain. I wrapped my arms around his waist and held him as tightly as possible. His arms wrapped around me and he nuzzled the top of my head.

"Do you think Bella is impervious to my power?"

I looked over to see Zafrina looking at Carlisle curiously.

"I don't see why she wouldn't be," Carlisle admitted.

"Would you allow me to try?" Zafrina asked Jake.

"What is it?" Jake mumbled, his voice tired.

"All I would do is project a picture in her mind, making her think she's somewhere else. I could do it to you as well so you'd know she's not hurting," Zafrina offered.

"Fine," Jake sighed, his shoulders slumping.

I rubbed circles on his back, nuzzling my head into his chest. He stiffened against me and his arms tightened. I looked up to see him with a dazed look on his face.

"What do you see?" I asked quietly.

"Holy shit! I'm in the middle of the freaking rainforest!" Jake exclaimed.

I giggled and held him tighter. Zafrina smiled and released Jake from her vision. He blinked a few times and smiled over at her.

"Now that was something else," Jake grinned.

"Glad you enjoyed it," Zafrina laughed.

_**End Flashback**_

* * *

I sighed again, wishing we could get this meeting on the road. I was tired and wanted nothing more than to curl up in bed with my wolf.

"How would you like to do this, Sam?" Carlisle asked.

_Finally!_ I thought.

_Impatient, Bella?_ Seth chuckled.

_God, you have no idea. I just wanna go home and go to bed,_ I groaned.

_Yeah, we saw that,_ Quil said, choking on his laughter.

_Shut up, Quil,_ Jake snapped, coming to my defense.

_Focus, morons. Sam's talking, _Leah growled.

"My pack and I will walk amongst you, learning each scent. Please stay very still as this will already be difficult enough," Sam requested.

"Of course," Carlisle agreed.

Sam nodded and phased back.

_Move in,_ Sam ordered.

I stayed where I was with Seth. He'd memorize all the scents through the other wolves' minds. I threaded my fingers through his fur as the wolves began walking around the vampire covens.

"Do we have any idea when they will be arriving?" I asked, looking at Alice.

"They'll leave in about a week," Alice shrugged.

"You don't have a specific time when they'll get here?" I frowned.

"Um, no. Your wolves are involved. I can't see much except them leaving," Alice grumbled.

"Oh. I forgot about that. Sorry, Alice," I sighed.

"Don't worry about it, Bella," Alice grinned.

"Maybe I'll get another dream that'll be more concrete," I thought aloud.

"That would be helpful," Alice giggled.

I rolled my eyes at her and smiled. Seth barked a laugh and shook his head. I patted his head a little harder than usual and he mock growled at me. I growled back and laughed.

"You don't scare me, Seth," I reminded him.

Seth huffed and ignored me. His mind focused back on the scent of the vampires.

_Done,_ Sam grunted, moving back into formation around me.

"Thanks for the meeting, Carlisle. You do realize that while your guests are here, they are your responsibility, right? They can't hunt in or around Forks," I informed him, frowning slightly.

"Not to worry, Bella. We have something set up," Carlisle assured me.

"Thank you," I nodded.

_Meet here tomorrow for a training session. Same time,_ Sam instructed.

"Sam wants to meet here tomorrow for a training session at the same time. Would that be alright with you?" I asked.

"Of course," Carlisle agreed.

"Alright. We'll head out then. Thank you all for the help in this. We really appreciate it," I said quietly.

Everyone nodded in my direction, some of them smiling, before disappearing back towards the Cullen's. Then it was just me and my wolves.

"Let's go home," I sighed.

Jake trotted over and lowered himself to the ground. I climbed onto his back and nestled into his fur. The movement of his body beneath me lulled me to sleep as he took us towards home.

* * *

**I know I kinda fell off the face of the earth, but it's all my professors' faults! They gave me three papers to do in less than three days!! So, I'm really sorry it took so long, but I made this chapter extra long for you!! It's seventeen pages! Longest one yet!!**

**Can you believe we've made it to FOUR HUNDRED REVIEWS?!?!?! Seriously, you guys!! I love you!!! **

**Next chapter will be up Saturday at the latest. My hands need a break from typing and my eyes need a rest from staring at a computer screen. Hahaha! See you guys next chapter!!**


	21. Chapter 21: A Few Good Hits

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight

Chapter Twenty-One

I hopped out of the truck Monday morning and slammed the door behind me. Paul was right behind me, his face drawn into a scowl. I glared at him as he tried to follow me into the school. Without a word, I pointed to the forest. He growled at me before turning and disappearing into the trees.

The entire pack was tense today. Tonight, we were meeting with the vampires to practice and Sam was the only one who thought I should be there. Even Jake had argued that it was too dangerous.

"Hey, Bella. What's up? You okay?" Angela asked as I opened my locker.

I glanced over to see her leaning against the row of lockers, giving me a concerned look. I sighed and started pulling out my books.

"I'm alright. Just having some trouble with Jake," I admitted, frowning into my locker.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Angela asked cautiously.

I knew she wouldn't push me if I said no, but I really did want to talk to her about it. The problem was, I could only tell her so much.

"Jake's having trouble with the Cullens coming back. He's worried about me getting hurt. He's trying to keep me from seeing them," I sighed.

It wasn't a complete lie.

Angela frowned at the ground, thinking about how to respond. We started walking towards class, the silence not uncomfortable.

"Maybe you should give Jake the benefit of the doubt. I mean, Edward did hurt you. I can see why he'd be worried about you," Angela finally said.

"Yeah, but does he have to keep me from the rest of the family just because Edward made a mistake?" I asked.

"You're right. I'm just saying, Jake probably has his reasons for worrying," Angela shrugged as we came to our first class.

I glared at the desk as I sat down, knowing Angela was right. Jake had a really good reason for wanting me to stay away from the practice tonight. A vampire and werewolf fight, no matter if it wasn't a real fight, was dangerous. If anyone from either species lost control, I wasn't as durable as the rest of them. I would be the one getting hurt.

But then, I had a good argument, too. I was the Omega of the pack. If something happened, it would take nothing at all for me to draw on the pack strength and defend myself. Plus, I highly doubted any of them would hurt me, even if they were completely focused on the fighting.

As class started, I focused on taking notes and ignoring Paul's persistent attitude that I remain as far away from the practice as possible. It was really starting to make me mad. I would be in that clearing tonight, no matter what anyone said.

* * *

Paul was glaring at me as I walked out to my truck after school. Without a word, he held out his hand for my backpack. I took it off and practically threw it at him, beyond pissed at the way his thoughts had been all day.

After my first class, his thoughts had wandered to how he was planning on keeping me from the meeting. When I found an out to every one of them, he had thought about how to get Jake to convince me to stay home. From there, he'd considered how to convince Sam to order me to stay home. By the end of the day, his thoughts were all jumbled with plans.

"Get in," Paul grumbled, opening the passenger side door for me.

"It's my truck. I'm driving," I snapped, opening the driver's side door.

Paul growled and yanked me over into the passenger seat.

"I'm driving because we're not going to your house," Paul ground out.

"Where are we going then?" I asked, frowning as he took my previous seat.

"Sam's," Paul answered bitterly.

I glared at him and folded my arms across my chest. He ignored me as we pulled out of the school parking lot, his eyes focused on the road.

"Stop glaring," Paul spat.

I huffed at him and turned to look out the window. I recognized the signs of La Push coming up and was relieved I'd be able to get away from the flea bag sitting next to me.

The second we pulled into Sam and Emily's driveway, I was out and slamming the door of my truck shut. I didn't bother looking to see if Paul was following behind me. I just ran up the steps and into the house.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the rest of the pack was clustered around the living room, but I was in no mood to speak with any of them. I continued past them and into the kitchen where Emily was putting the finishing touches on a pineapple cake.

"Hello, Bella. Bad day at school?" Emily smiled as I collapsed into one of the chairs.

"Ha. What was your first clue?" I asked mockingly, my forehead making contact with the table.

"The way the guys have been acting all day," Emily admitted calmly.

I turned my head to look at her quizzically.

"What do you mean?" I frowned.

"They've been tense and jittery all day. I had to distract Sam at least five times today and you know how calm and collected he is," Emily smirked.

I groaned and turned my face back to the table, unwilling to hear anything more.

"Seth practically phased in my living room when he walked in. He said he'd had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach all morning," Emily continued.

I felt a sickly feeling start up in my own stomach and whimpered.

"Leah's actually been cleaning. It's a habit she picked up from her mother. Whenever she's nervous, she cleans," Emily informed me.

I felt the nausea gain and pressed my face harder against the table.

"Jake was the worst, though. Sam and Jared had to physically restrain him at one point he was so far gone. Sam had to use his Alpha command to get him to calm down and even that wasn't enough to get him fully calm," Emily added.

"Please stop," I moaned.

Emily turned to smile at me.

"We called Billy after Jake lost it to try and understand what was going on. He said your Omega connection with the pack was informing them that something was wrong with you. Their instincts were telling them to go to you," Emily explained.

I just moaned again in response. The knowledge that I had caused my pack that kind of pain was too much and I jumped out of my chair, racing to the bathroom. Emily was right behind me and rubbed my back as I threw up into the toilet.

"What happened?"

Jake's voice was dark with worry and I clutched the toilet as Emily told him what had happened.

"Go away," I implored as I hung my head over the porcelain.

"You know I can't do that, Bells," Jake murmured as he took Emily's place behind me.

I heard the door close as Emily left the bathroom. I reached up and flushed the toilet before turning and leaning against the bathtub. Jake settled down beside me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and pulling me against his side.

"Sorry," I mumbled, snuggling into his chest.

"What for?" Jake asked softly, rubbing my arm.

"For making trouble today," I sighed, closing my eyes.

"It's not your fault, honey. Paul shouldn't have been egging you on. Sam's ripping him a new one as we speak," Jake chuckled, kissing my hair.

I sighed again and pushed against his chest, standing up and blinking at the mirror. Jake watched me from the floor as I pulled out the toothpaste and used my finger to clean out my mouth. After I spat in the sink, I turned and looked at the floor between our pairs of feet.

"I have to go tonight, Jake. I need to make sure nothing happens. I want to see for myself that everyone is as prepared as possible for this fight because if we lose anyone, it'll be my fault," I said quietly, tears already running down my face.

I saw Jake stand up and felt him pull me against his chest. I sobbed as he rubbed circles up and down my spine. He made shushing noises in my hair in-between kisses. I clung to him, completely helpless, as the guilt crashed over me.

"Honey, this is not your fault. Just because some leeches get it in their head that there can only be one Omega doesn't make it your fault. These sickos need to be taken out and we're just the werewolves to do it. Everything is going to be fine. We're not going to lose anyone," Jake assured me.

"Promise?" I whimpered, knowing good and well that he couldn't promise something like that, but needing to hear it all the same.

"Promise," Jake whispered, tilting my head up.

The tears kept falling as I looked into his dark brown eyes. His face was taut with worry over me and I wanted to smooth out his frown lines. My fingers ran over his brows and his face relaxed. He closed his eyes and leaned into my hand.

"You have me worried today. I didn't know what was going on, but I knew you needed me. I thought maybe…" Jake trailed off, his eyes blinking open to connect with mine.

I gave him a sad smile and leaned up to kiss him briefly. He tightened his hold as I pulled away.

"What did you think?" I asked quietly.

I watched as his Adam's apple bobbed. His anxiety from the day had yet to fade, but he was trying not to let me feel it.

"I was worried something had happened with the Cullens," Jake admitted.

I shook my head at him, still smiling. I buried myself into his chest and folded my arms between us, my palms against his skin. He laid his head on top of mine and breathed deeply.

"If anything had happened with them, you wouldn't have had to worry about coming to get me. I'd already be running to you," I told him.

His entire body froze at my words and I could feel the slight tremors of his muscles beneath my hands. His heart was pounding away beneath my ear.

"I love you," Jake whispered.

"I love you, too," I responded.

We were silent for a few moments until there was a knock on the door.

"Jake? Everything alright in there?" Embry's voice floated in.

"Yeah. Be right there," Jake called back.

I sighed and pulled out of his embrace. He gave me a small smile and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Ready?" Jake asked.

I nodded and took hold of his hand. He gave it a squeeze and led me from the room. The pack was situated around the living room and looked up when we walked in. The tension on all their faces nearly had me running back to the bathroom. It was my fault they had been so stressed all day. It was my fault they were going to this meeting tonight. It would be my fault if any of them got killed.

"Oh, God," I whimpered, leaning against Jake as my legs started failing me.

"Easy, Bells," Jake murmured, lifting me up and carrying me to the sofa.

He sat down and settled me on his lap. Seth came and sat beside Jake, taking my feet in his lap and patting my leg. I felt tears well up as he tried to comfort me.

"Jake. We can't do this. It's too dangerous!" I exclaimed brokenly, looking around the room.

"Bella, calm down. We still have time before the actual battle. We will be fully prepared. Nothing is going to happen to anyone in this pack," Sam said sternly.

I sobbed and buried my face into Jake's neck, clinging to him for dear life. The entire pack shifted at the exact same time, all leaning towards me. I knew my emotions were causing them to get nervous. Their instincts were telling them to take care of me again.

Jake was completely tense, his entire body trembling as I sobbed against him. As my imprint, he was even more eager to take care of me. It was his job more than any of the others. I felt him forcing his body to relax as his shoulders curved around me protectively.

"It's alright, honey. Shh. I've got you. Everything's going to be okay. I promise," Jake assured me, rocking me gently.

"P-please. Don't d-do this," I whimpered.

"Would you feel better if you came tonight? You could see us all in action. It might help," Jake offered.

I stopped sobbing and pulled back to look at him. The tears were still running down my face, but I ignored them.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yes. I don't want you doubting us. We can handle this, honey. If watching the practice tonight helps ease your mind, you can come," Jake submitted.

"Thank you," I breathed, throwing my arms around his neck.

"You're welcome," Jake sighed.

"Cakes are ready! Get 'em while they're hot!"

I laughed as Emily stood in the doorway to the kitchen, waiting for the pack to make the usual mad dash to the food. As I laughed, the tension in the room vanished and the pack was able to relax for the first time today.

"CAKE!" Quil screamed and ran for the kitchen.

"Pups," Sam muttered, shaking his head.

I laughed again and leaned against Jake's chest. The dynamic nature of the pack was back and I wasn't as worried about the upcoming battle.

* * *

My eyes were glued onto my wolves as they mock battled with the vampires. I was sitting as far away from them as possible while still being able to see them clearly. I watched as Sam and Jasper fought against each other, the two working on the perfect technique of defeating a vampire. They were completely focused on each other. When one moved, the other moved at the exact same time. It was mind-blowingly beautiful.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were checking out my mate," Alice chirped as she sat beside me.

"Not quite," I laughed, glancing at her briefly.

She was smiling as she watched Jasper flit around the field with Sam.

"He really loves this," Alice said softly.

"I can tell. It's a good thing we have him. I don't know what we'd do without his military expertise," I told her.

"Your wolves are pretty fast learners," Alice commented.

"They can't help it. They share the pack mind. It's instinctual to learn things as one and share it with each other," I shrugged.

"Are they talking to each other?" Alice asked eagerly.

"Most definitely. I'm not listening, though. I'd only distract them," I chuckled.

Alice laughed with me, folding her arms over her knees.

"I'm really glad you're happy, Bella. I missed you so much while we were away. I wish things hadn't happened the way they did. If Edward hadn't made us leave, you'd still be a part of our family," Alice sighed.

"I'll always consider you a part of my family, Alice. Even if I'm bound to the pack, I still care about you," I assured her.

Alice smiled and wrapped her arms around me.

"Thank you, Bella," Alice murmured.

"No need to thank me. It's the truth," I told her.

"Are you excited about shopping this weekend?" Alice asked, getting excited.

"Not exactly," I laughed.

"Oh, come on! I know you'll have fun," Alice encouraged.

"And how do you know that? You won't be able to see with Leah coming," I reminded her.

"I don't need my vision in order to see that we'll have fun together. And, I promise, I will try to be nice to the female," Alice teased.

"Alice! She has a name!" I mock scolded.

Alice giggled, knowing I didn't mean it. I shook my head at her and turned my attention back to the fighting.

"I really hope you can bring us all together, Bella. I think it would be nice not to have to worry about the treaty anymore. Carlisle really wants the wolves to trust us," Alice informed me quietly.

"I'm going to try my best to make sure that you're brought together. I have to if we're going to win this thing," I frowned.

"We'll win, Bella. We have something the Volturi don't. We have something worth fighting for. Everyone on this field has something worth fighting for," Alice said strongly.

"What's that?" I asked, grinning slightly.

"Love. Family. Friends. A home," Alice listed off.

"What makes you think the Volturi don't have that?" I asked, sitting up straighter.

"Trust me, Bella. Even if the Volturi had one of the things I listed, the way they feel about it doesn't even come close to how we feel about them," Alice snorted.

"Why?" I pushed, curious now.

"Because they drink human blood. It takes away their humanity. True, some of our friends here drink human blood, but they still have maintained more humanity than the Volturi. They feel a stronger connection to their families than the Volturi do," Alice explained.

I bit my lip and turned back to the fighting going on in front of us. Alice fell silent and watched as well.

My eyes sought out a certain russet colored wolf that was fighting with Emmett. I smiled as Jake barked a laugh, dodging Emmett's assaults. He was enjoying himself immensely as he fought with the strongest and biggest vampire we knew. I laughed when Jake actually managed to pin Emmett, causing the large vampire to growl angrily and shove Jake off him. Jake bounded away, barking out another laugh.

"Your wolf seems to be having fun with Emmett," Alice giggled.

"I noticed. He better watch that tail of his, though. Emmett keeps eyeing it," I grinned.

We watched as Emmett reached out and yanked on Jake's tail, causing Jake to yelp and jump away. Alice fell over, laughing uncontrollably. I was laughing, too, at Jake and at Alice. Jake looked over in our direction and growled causing Alice to lose herself in another fit of giggles.

"Alice," I tried to scold.

The laughter in my voice didn't deliver the intended message, though, because she just continued to laugh. I sighed and shook my head, turning my attention back to the field.

Everyone was stopping their fighting. Sam was standing by Carlisle in his human form. Paul and Jared were on either side of him, protecting their Alpha. The rest of the wolves were making their way over to me. Leah came over and nudged me with her snout. I grinned and stood up. Jake was on my other side, mock growling at Alice.

"Oh, hush, puppy. You know it was funny," Alice grinned.

Jake snorted in her direction before turning to me. I laughed and threaded my fingers in his fur. He was ignoring Alice, watching Sam instead.

"I think your mate is mad at me," Alice pouted.

"I'm sorry, Alice. I'll punish him later," I promised.

Jake's head whipped in my direction, his eyes wide. I didn't need to be in his mind to know the direction his thoughts had taken. I smacked his shoulder and glared at him.

"And he won't enjoy it!" I added.

Jake whined and lowered his head, giving me the puppy-dog eyes, literally. I rolled my eyes and looked at Alice. She was struggling to keep in her laughter.

"Bella! Come here."

I turned my attention to the field and saw Sam watching me. I moved out of the crowd of wolves around me and walked towards him, frowning slightly. Jake was right beside me, my fingers still wrapped up in his fur. He pushed me so that I was behind Sam instead of beside him, not wanting me to be close to the vampires. I rolled my eyes at him, but moved to where he wanted me.

"What's up, Sam?" I asked.

"Carlisle wants to talk to you about something," Sam nodded towards the vampire in question.

I turned and smiled at Carlisle, waiting for him to speak.

"Bella, in light of the recent discovery about your shield, I thought it would be a good idea if you were to come over to the house after school to see if we can develop it further. Kate would be more than willing to use her power to assist us," Carlisle explained.

Jake growled and the fur on his back rose along with every other wolf in the pack. Sam was the only one who didn't growl, but he did start shaking.

"I think you might want to rephrase that, Carlisle," I suggested lightly.

Carlisle looked around at the angry wolves and quickly elaborated.

"What I meant was, Kate would shock someone _else_, not Bella, and Bella would attempt to shield that person. Edward has offered to stand in as the guinea pig," Carlisle indicated Edward who was standing behind him slightly.

"No offense, Doc, but I don't think that'll work," Sam frowned.

"Why?" Edward asked sharply.

"For one thing, why would you getting shocked effect Bella? She doesn't have any tie to you anymore. Second, I don't want you anywhere near her," Sam growled, leaning forward.

"Sam," I warned softly.

He took a deep breath and came down off the balls of his feet. I waited until I was sure he had himself under control before I spoke.

"I think Edward will do fine. Will tomorrow be good?" I asked, smiling slightly.

"That would be fine," Carlisle agreed.

"You sure you don't mind getting repeatedly shocked?" I asked Edward, still smiling.

"If it helps you gain control over this power of yours, no, I don't mind," Edward admitted, returning my smile.

"It's your body," I shrugged.

"If that's all, Carlisle," Sam trailed off, obviously in a hurry to return home.

"Actually, I wondered if you would be willing to go through a few experiments, Bella. Just so I can see how your abilities affect the rest of your body. I'd like to run a few tests on your blood, maybe have a few physical challenges for you. I want to know the extent of your capabilities," Carlisle requested.

"I don't see why not," I nodded.

"Perfect," Carlisle grinned, clearly excited.

I laughed slightly and shook my head at his doctor coming out.

"Anything else?" Sam asked, his arms crossed.

"No. Thank you, Sam," Carlisle bowed his head.

Sam nodded once before turning around and phasing. Throwing his head back, he let out a howl. The rest of the wolves joined in and I felt shivers run down my spine at the beauty of it.

"See you tomorrow," I murmured as the howling came to an end.

Carlisle simply nodded, his eyes distant. I noticed the wolves' howl had a similar effect on the vampires. That caused me to smile as Jake lowered himself to the ground beside me. The rest of the pack was coming to stand around us, shifting impatiently.

"Bella, wait. Can I please talk to you for a minute?" Edward pleaded, taking a step closer.

The entire pack was immediately between us. Jake leapt to his feet and started growling. Edward backed up, his eyes locked on mine. I bit my lip and debated.

"What about, Edward?" I asked, sighing.

Edward frowned and furrowed his brows.

"Look, if this is about me and Jake or me and you, I don't want to hear it," I started off.

"It's not about that," Edward grumbled, glaring at Jake briefly.

Jake snarled in response.

"Please. It'll only take a few minutes," Edward pleaded.

I sighed and looked between Jake and Sam. Sam snorted and shook his head roughly while Jake continued growling softly.

"Fine. You have five minutes," I told him, moving through the wolves towards him.

"Thank you," Edward breathed, relaxing his shoulders.

Jake reached out and took hold of my shirt with his teeth. I jerked to a stop and turned to look at him. He was still growling softly and was glaring at me.

"It'll be fine. We're not going too far away," I assured him.

He growled once more for emphasis before letting go of my shirt. Edward frowned at Jake as we walked away.

"You realize I am going to tell them whatever it is we talk about, right? And this doesn't exactly give us privacy because everyone can probably hear us anyway?" I asked, not looking at him.

"I know, but it gives the illusion, right?" Edward smirked.

I huffed a breath and came to a stop a few yards away from the others. I turned to face him.

"What do you want to talk about?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"Are you seriously considering fighting in this battle?" Edward demanded.

"Yes," I answered, frowning slightly.

"How can you be so stupid? You do realize that we are going up against vampires? Human drinking vampires? They wouldn't think twice about draining you dry," Edward growled.

"Stupid? You did not just call me stupid! I can't believe you!" I shouted.

"Bella, that's not what I meant," Edward tried to back pedal.

"No! That's exactly what you meant. You know, what, Edward? It doesn't matter what you think. This is my fight! Not yours, not your family's, not even my pack's. This is all on me! And if I want to fight in it, then I will!" I snapped furiously.

"You're human, Bella! I could kill you right now with just a touch! Do you want to die?" Edward asked angrily.

"I'm not arguing with you over this," I muttered, spinning around to walk away.

Edward reached out and grabbed hold of my arm. Without a second thought, I tapped into the pack's strength and spun around, punching him right in the nose. There was the sound of rocks crashing together as his head whipped back and he released me. We were instantly surrounded by the pack and the Cullens. Everyone was hissing and growling at each other.

"Stop! Now!" I yelled.

Instantly, the wolves fell back. Once they did, the Cullens came out of their protective crouches.

"This is between me and Edward," I ground out.

Edward stared at me, his eyes wide.

"You need to realize something, Edward. I can defend myself. Just because I'm human doesn't mean anything. I can tap into the pack strength and do the same amount of damage that you can," I explained as calmly as possible.

"Fascinating," Carlisle murmured, eyeing me appreciatively.

I grinned at him before turning my attention back to Edward.

"I'm not your responsibility anymore. You can't protect me. It's not your place," I said.

"I can't just stand by and watch you get killed, Bella," Edward frowned.

"I'm not going to get killed. Just because you think I'm helpless, doesn't mean I am!" I cried, throwing my hands up in the air in frustration.

"I just want you safe," Edward continued.

"You need to back off, Edward. You are the one who left me, remember? If you feel like I'm being reckless, you have no one, but yourself, to blame," I pointed out.

Edward flinched as though I'd struck him and the pain in his eyes almost made me feel bad for him.

"Look, let's put this off until later, alright? I'm tired, my pack is tired. We've had a rough day. If you still want to hash this out after tomorrow, fine. Right now, I'm going home," I sighed.

I noticed Jake was beside me and placed my hand on his side. He took his cue and lowered himself to the ground, his eyes focused on Edward. I climbed up onto his back and he stood. He turned us towards home without a backwards glance.

I focused on the trees passing us by as we flew towards Forks. I tried not to think about what Edward had said or what was going to happen tomorrow. I knew Charlie would be waiting up for me and I needed to be okay before we got there.

By the time Jake stopped by my door, I had calmed down considerably. Jake let me slide off before running into the woods to change. He came out a few seconds later, taking my hand and kissing me briefly.

"Go put Charlie to bed. I'll meet you in your room," Jake murmured, pulling away.

"Okay," I agreed, moving towards the front door.

Charlie was sitting in his armchair, watching TV. He looked up as soon as I walked in. Relief was evident on his face.

"Hey, Bells. Meeting go good?" Charlie asked, standing up and stretching.

"As good as can be expected," I told him, following him upstairs.

"Everyone's still in one piece, right?" Charlie asked.

"Yes, Dad. Everyone is still in one piece," I smiled, steering him into his room.

"Kay. Night, Bells," Charlie yawned.

"Good night, Dad," I called, walking into my room.

Jake was laid out on my bed, smiling at me. I returned his smile, grabbed my pajamas and walked to the bathroom. After completing my nightly ritual, I returned to my room to find him staring at the ceiling.

"You alright?" I asked quietly, climbing into bed beside him.

"Yeah," Jake sighed, rubbing his face tiredly.

One of his arms wrapped around me instantly, holding me tight.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

Jake frowned at the ceiling for a long time before rolling onto his side to look at me.

"Maybe Cullen is right. You could get hurt during battle. Hell, you could get killed. Maybe you shouldn't fight," Jake murmured, frowning at me now.

"Jacob Black, do not make me punch you, too," I threatened.

"Bells, be serious," Jake groaned.

"I am!" I insisted.

"Do you have any idea what it would do to me if you got hurt? Or killed? Bells, I couldn't bare it. I need you," Jake choked out.

"Yeah, well, I need you, too. And I'm going to be in that field when the Volturi arrive and I'm going to fight alongside you and the rest of our pack. We're in this together, Jake. You promised me we wouldn't lose anybody. I'm holding you to that," I reminded him.

Jake just continued to stare at me, his expression pained.

"Go to sleep, Jake. We'll talk more at the Cullen's tomorrow," I sighed, rolling over so my back was to him.

I felt Jake shift around behind me and frowned when I didn't feel his arms wrap around my waist. I sat up and turned to look at him. He was lying on his back again.

"Um, what are you doing?" I asked.

"Letting you sleep," Jake answered, not looking at me.

"How am I supposed to fall asleep if your arms aren't around me?" I questioned.

His eyes moved and caught mine. I arched a brow at him before lowering myself back onto the bed, my back still to him. He shifted around again, but this time, his arms snaked over my waist and pulled me into his chest. I snuggled against him and sighed contently.

"Much better."

"Good night, my Bella," Jake chuckled, kissing the back of my neck.

"Good night, my Jacob."

* * *

**AWWWWWW! So cute, right?!? Hahaha! Okay, so this chapter took a little longer than expect! Sorry! Hopefully the next few will come out quicker. I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to make this story. I'm thinking we might make it to thirty, or we might not. It depends. I don't think it'll go on for much longer, though. Sad, I know. But, not to fret, my dearies! We aren't done, yet! Next chapter will be Bella practicing at the Cullen's and a little shock therapy for Edward! Haha! Fun, fun, fun!!**


	22. Chapter 22: Worth Fighting For

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Twenty-Two

I collapsed to the ground, panting heavily as Edward looked down on me with concern. Kate trotted over and frowned at me, huffing in indignation.

"Get up, Bella. We've got to keep working," Kate insisted.

"Just… give me… a minute… Kate," I panted, struggling to gain control of my breathing.

"She's worked hard enough for now, Kate. She deserves a break," Edward vouched.

"No, Edward. If she's going to gain control over her shield, I have to push her," Kate claimed.

"She's not a vampire, Kate! She doesn't have an unlimited amount of energy. She needs rest!" Edward practically shouted.

"Hey! If you two are going to start tearing each other apart, do it somewhere away from my girlfriend," Jake warned, coming into my view.

He was glaring at Edward and Kate as he pushed them away from my prone body. He glanced down at me with concern before dropping to sit beside me. He grabbed my hand and rubbed circles across my knuckles.

"Are you alright?" Jake asked softly.

"Never better," I murmured, closing my eyes.

Jake chuckled and brushed his lips across my forehead.

"Stubborn girl," Jake whispered.

I grinned and squeezed his hand. He chuckled again and I felt his lips on my nose this time.

"Lower," I ordered, my eyes still closed.

I felt his grin as he kissed my chin.

"Higher," I grumbled.

Jake laughed and placed his lips on mine, finally. I sighed into the kiss, my free hand moving to fist in his hair. He moaned softly, deepening the kiss. His tongue stroked mine, tasting and torturing. I shifted beneath him, struggling to get closer.

"Don't make me get the hose, Bella!"

Jake broke away from me to growl at Leah who was laughing along with Sam. I joined them as Jake glared at the pair sitting with the rest of the pack closer to the house.

"Are you ready, Bella?" Edward asked, coming back into my view.

"Sure," I sighed, struggling to get to my feet.

We'd already been working together for about two hours now. So far, I hadn't managed to project my shield onto Edward, though I was trying. I didn't like seeing him in pain, even if he was a complete jerk yesterday.

Kate walked up to us, frowning. She was looking between Edward and I intently. I waited for her to take up her stance again, but she just stood there.

"Are we going to do this or what?" I asked, wanting to get it over with.

Kate was looking at Edward, that frown still on her face. Edward was watching her curiously.

"It's not working with Edward. You're not connected to him strongly enough. We need someone else," Kate decided.

Instantly, I was on high alert. My jaw clenched and my eyes narrowed as Kate's eyes drifted to the wolves behind me. I felt my hand ball into fists as I took a step closer.

"No."

The single word was ripped from the throat and came out in as a low warning. Kate wouldn't touch any of my wolves. I wouldn't put them through that kind of pain.

"We don't have time to do this slowly, Bella. Now, which one?" Kate asked, tapping her chin with her finger.

I growled at her and moved to attack, but Edward restrained me with a hand on my arm.

"Bella. You'll only hurt yourself," Edward said softly.

"Oh, really? I wasn't the one hurting last night," I reminded him icily.

He winced and let go of my arm. I turned back to Kate and she was smiling at something behind me. I turned and followed her gaze.

"NO!" I snapped, turning back on her.

She was looking at Seth and Seth was smiling back at her. I heard him jump up to his feet and come to stand beside me. With a hand, I shoved him behind my body and started backing up. Kate followed, grinning all the while.

"Stay away, Kate," I warned.

"No," Kate replied simply.

"I mean it, Kate. It wouldn't be that hard to gain access to the pack strength and rip you apart," I informed her.

Kate just continued smiling and following Seth and I as I backed us around the yard. The rest of the pack was on high alert, watching us closely. Leah was trembling as Kate stalked her little brother.

"Bella, it won't be so bad. Just a little buzz, right?" Seth encouraged.

I heard a ferocious snarl echo off the trees and realized it was my own. I blinked and looked around in shock. Kate used my moment of distraction to her advantage and touched Seth.

Seth jerked and screamed, falling to the ground. Panic attacked me and I knelt beside him, trying to push my shield over him. He continued screaming and writhing on the ground while Kate just smiled.

"Protect him, Bella. He can only take it for so much longer. Eventually his brain will shut down on him and he'll die. Focus, Bella. Project your shield," Kate instructed.

I growled at her and suddenly felt a strong power surge rush through me. I could feel my shield as it contracted and expanded. Testing it, I flung it over Seth, amazed when he stopped screaming. He looked up at me with a small smile, panting softly.

"Thanks, Bells," Seth gasped.

Tears started falling down my face as I hugged him to me. I tried to sooth him and ease some of the pain and he allowed me to. I heard a shriek and looked up to see Leah barreling to us. She threw herself to the ground beside Seth and pulled him into a hug.

"Idiot. Foolish. Could've been killed," Leah scolded, crying softly.

Seth hugged her and patted her back, whispering in her ear.

I looked up at Kate to give them privacy. She was grinning down at me, obviously proud.

"Ready to try again?" Kate asked.

I bared my teeth at her, but nodded.

"Edward," I gritted.

"Fine," Kate sighed.

Edward came over and stood beside me. He reached out to touch me, but I shook my head. He frowned at me, but didn't push it.

"I want to see if I can do it without touching you," I explained.

Kate rubbed her hands together before touching Edward. His eyes closed and he started trembling for a moment or two until my shield reached him. Then, he opened his eyes and smiled at me.

Kate was grimacing in concentration as she upped the dosage of shock. Edward actually laughed as she growled.

"I can't feel a thing, Kate," Edward teased.

Kate dropped her arms, huffing slightly. She regained her composure and smiled at me.

"Well done, Bella," Kate congratulated.

"Thanks. Are we done now?" I pleaded.

I felt exhaustion creeping up on me and just wanted to sit down for a few hours. Maybe take a nap.

"I suppose. For today. Tomorrow we'll work on it more. See how many people you can protect," Kate agreed.

I nodded and flopped onto the ground, closing my eyes against the grey sky. I heard and felt Jake come up beside me. His arms reached down and pulled me up against his chest, cradling me.

"Come on, honey. Carlisle will want to run some tests. Then, I'm taking you home and you're going to bed," Jake instructed.

I murmured my consent and snuggled into his chest. His arms tightened around me and he kissed the top of my head.

"I love you," Jake whispered.

"Love you," I mumbled back.

I heard the back door open and close as Jake carried me through the house and into Carlisle's study. I opened my eyes to see Carlisle leaning over a pile of papers with Eleazar, Zafrina, and Siobhan. They all looked up when Jake carried me in.

"I'm afraid will have to put off this discussion until a later date. I believe it's time for me to run a few tests on Bella, here," Carlisle smiled, moving around his desk.

The three other vampires nodded and walked out of the room. Jake turned his back on them, placing himself between us. I reached up and stroked his face, trying to relax him. He grinned down at me and kissed my hand.

"I'm fine, honey. You're just too tired to defend yourself," Jake explained softly.

I sighed and nodded my head, exhaustion creeping up on me.

"Don't fall asleep yet, Bells. Carlisle needs you awake for these tests," Jake murmured into my ear.

"Bring her over here, Jacob. I want to draw some blood first," Carlisle said, patting a leather chaise lounge chair.

Jake walked over and laid me down on the psychiatrist-look-alike chair. He knelt beside me, taking one of my hands in his own. I giggled quietly as Carlisle came around and took hold of my other arm.

"Well, you see, Doctor, it all started when I was about five. Daddy wouldn't let me have a pony for my birthday," I teased.

Carlisle and Jake both started laughing, momentarily distracted from the seriousness of the situation. I smiled up at them, relaxing against the cool leather.

"Alright, Miss Bella. I'm going to take some blood, so you might want to look away," Carlisle suggested.

I turned my head to look at Jake, humming under my breath. He smiled at me and rubbed his hand up and down my arm. I winced as I felt the small bite of the needle in my arm. Jake groaned and buried his head in the palm of my hand. I stroked the side of his face as he kissed the inside of my wrist.

"Done," Carlisle called.

I looked down at my arm and giggled at the florescent blue band-aid.

"It's a little flashy, but it's all I had," Carlisle told me.

"It's fine, Carlisle. I actually love it," I admitted.

Carlisle smiled as he put my blood into a machine. It started whirling and making all kinds of noises. He went over to his computer and started punching in numbers.

I turned my head to look at Jake who was watching Carlisle with a frown on his face. I squeezed his hand and his attention shifted to me.

"You okay?" I asked.

Jake smiled at me and bent down to kiss my forehead.

"I'm fine, honey," Jake whispered.

"Don't lie to me, Jake," I scolded.

Jake chuckled softly and rubbed his nose against mine. The loving gesture, normally reserved for his wolf form, brought tears to my eyes.

"I am fine. Just worried about you," Jake admitted.

"Well, don't be. It's not like we're going to find out I have some incurable disease or anything. It's just a simple test," I assured him.

"Well, thanks, Bells. Now I have that thought in my head," Jake frowned.

"Get it out," I ordered, smacking his head.

"Ouch!" Jake complained, rubbing the spot I hit.

"Want me to kiss it better?" I offered sweetly.

Jake grinned and gave me the back of his head. I brought it to my lips briefly.

"There. All better," I cooed.

Carlisle coughed behind me and I turned to see his shoulders shaking from silent laughter.

"You can laugh out loud, Carlisle," I told him.

Carlisle looked over his shoulder at us and shook his head, smiling all the while.

"How long until the tests are done?" Jake asked, back in serious mode.

"A few hours at the least. I have multiple tests running at once, so it might take a few days at the most," Carlisle answered.

"What do we do in the mean time?" I asked.

"Today, nothing. You're too tired. Tomorrow, I'll tell Kate not to work you so hard. Then, I'll work with you to see how far you've developed physically and mentally," Carlisle explained.

"So I can go home?" I asked hopefully.

"Of course," Carlisle agreed, giving me a fond smile.

"Finally," I breathed, closing my eyes.

"Thanks for the help, Doc," Jake murmured, lifting me into his arms easily.

I snuggled against his chest, absorbing the warmth of his skin as he carried me out of Carlisle's office and downstairs.

"How'd it go? What'd Carlisle say?" Sam asked.

"He just took some blood. We won't get the results back for a few hours at the least," Jake answered, still walking.

"Is Bella okay?" Seth asked.

"Sure, kid. Just tired," Jake chuckled.

"Take her on home, then. We're going to stay and work with Jasper some more. You stay with her tonight. We'll see you tomorrow," Sam ordered.

"Thanks, Sam," Jake said, carrying me outside.

I heard the sound of a car door opening and felt Jake place me inside of said car. As soon as I felt him slide in beside me, I laid my head on his shoulder and fell asleep.

* * *

**Jake's POV **

I carried my Bella into the house and past a worried Charlie. As soon as I had placed her in the car, she'd been out. I was more than a little worried that she was pushing herself too hard. The dark circles under her eyes were a sign of how little sleep she'd been getting.

She sighed when I placed her on the bed and turned away from me. Her arm flung out to the other side of the bed. _My_ side of the bed. I couldn't help the smug smile that crept onto my face as she searched for me in her sleep. Grabbing the pillow I usually used, I moved it into her arms. She wrapped herself around it, smiling softly.

I brushed a few strands of hair out of her face before walking back downstairs to Charlie.

"What happened to her?" Charlie asked, looking up from the TV.

"She's just tired. She was working with her powers and it wasn't easy," I told him, plopping down on the couch.

"I don't like her spending time with them, Jake," Charlie frowned.

"Don't worry, Chief. She's as safe as can be with me and the pack there to protect her," I assured him.

Charlie harrumphed at me, but didn't argue. He knew the depth of my commitment to keeping Bella safe. He shifted slightly in his chair, turning his attention back to the TV.

"What did she do?" Charlie asked after a few moments silence.

"She projects a shield that prevents mental attacks," I answered.

Charlie's gaze snapped to me and I heard his neck pop at the sudden movement. I chuckled to myself and grinned at him.

"What the hell does that mean?" Charlie scowled.

"There's this vampire, Kate, who can shock people. Or, she makes you think you're getting shocked. Any way, it hurts. Bella's shield protects herself and anyone touching or around her from it. Tomorrow we'll see if she can expand it," I explained.

Charlie's eyes were as wide as I'd ever seen them. He obviously was surprised by his daughter's abilities. He slowly turned back to the TV, his eyes still wide.

"You alright, there, Chief?" I asked, trying hard not to laugh.

"Sure, kid," Charlie grunted.

It was quiet again as we watched TV and I listened to the sound of Bella breathing upstairs. The pre-game show went off to be replaced by the actual baseball game and Charlie was enraptured in the sport.

"I'm coming tomorrow. I want to make sure they're treating her right," Charlie suddenly declared.

"What?"

I wasn't sure I'd heard him right. Did he really want to go to a house full of vampires just to see his daughter being put through exhausting tests?

"You heard me. And I wasn't asking permission, either. If I'm not there, neither is Bella," Charlie glared.

I was still in shock. Did the whole Swam family have this lack of self preservation or what? Damn it all. What the hell what I supposed to do now?

"I'll call Sam and Carlisle," I mumbled, standing up.

I walked to the kitchen, picked up the phone, and dialed the leech's number. One of them answered on the second ring.

"Cullen residence," A male voice answered.

"I need to speak with Sam," I said.

"Hold on one moment."

I waited a few minutes before I heard the phone being picked up again.

"Hello?" Sam asked gruffly.

"Sam, I'm at Bella's. Charlie wants to come to the practice tomorrow to make sure Bella isn't being hurt. He's said if he's not there, neither is she," I told him hurriedly.

Sam was quiet for about a minute before he answered.

"Alright. I'll inform Carlisle. It doesn't look like we have much of a choice."

"Thanks, Sam," I sighed, rubbing my face.

"Sure. I'll see you tomorrow and we'll discuss things," Sam decided.

The line went dead and I hung up the phone. Charlie was leaning against the doorway, watching me suspiciously.

"He's going to work something out with Carlisle. He said since you didn't leave us much of a choice…," I trailed off with a shrug.

"Smart man," Charlie grinned, walking back into the living room.

I heard a soft moan from upstairs and immediately headed in that direction. Charlie didn't bother looking up. I wasn't sure if he'd heard Bella or just assumed something was up. It didn't matter anyways. He never barred me from Bella's room.

When I walked in, she was tangled up in the sheets, frowning. As I walked closer, she flipped over, crying out.

"No… Jacob… stop… Take me… No!" Bella screamed, tossing around.

She was obviously having a nightmare. I didn't like seeing her in so much pain, even if it wasn't real.

"Shh, honey. I'm here," I whispered, lying down beside her.

She pressed herself against me, whimpering softly in her sleep. I wrapped my arms around her, attempting to give her some comfort. Gradually, her breathing evened out again and she slipped further into sleep.

I breathed a sigh of relief and kissed the top of her head.

"Jacob," Bella sighed.

I smiled as I watched her sleep. I wasn't sure what was going to happen in the future. I didn't know when the Volturi leeches would be arriving. I didn't know how long it would take before Bella was ready. I didn't know if I'd be able to let her fight. I didn't know a lot of things. All sorts of possibilities were running through my head, all at the same time.

There was nothing I wouldn't do for the girl lying in my arms. She was my everything and I'd never loved someone so much in my entire life.

Of course, I'd loved her before the imprint, but that was beside the point. The imprint simply reinforced what I already knew. Bella was the only girl for me.

I didn't want her to fight in this battle with the Volturi coming up. So many things could go wrong and she could get hurt. I wouldn't be able to bear it if anything happened to her. We were just getting started. She hadn't even graduated high school yet. There was so much more for us to do.

She sighed in her sleep and stroked my chest, sensing my distress, even in sleep. I held her tighter, letting her know I was fine. She smacked her lips and burrowed further under the covers.

I wondered about what would happen tomorrow. Charlie wasn't going to like some of the things Kate did to Bella. Hopefully Carlisle would be able to rein her in a little.

Today had been awful. I had been forced to sit still while Bella was put through the huge task of mastering her shield. I had tried to convince her to pull on the pack strength, but she was too stubborn and wanted to do it all on her own. She was worried about constantly relying on the pack strength. I didn't see the harm in her always being prepared.

A shudder worked through me as I remembered Seth's painful screams. Kate was a psycho bitch, but she knew how to get things done. Bella probably never would have projected her shield if Kate hadn't gone after Seth, the baby of the pack.

I snorted, knowing Seth would probably throw a fit at being referred to as the baby. If you messed with him, you messed with Leah. Hell, if you messed with him, you messed with Bella. That in itself was terrifying enough that no one ever messed with Seth.

Bella jerked at my snort and I instantly stilled, not wanting to wake her. She mumbled something unintelligible before drifting back to sleep.

I glanced over at the clock and noticed it was just after six o'clock.

Bella hadn't eaten since about twelve. I debated waking her. On one hand, she needed her sleep. On the other, she needed to eat.

Sighing, I gently shook her shoulders. She grumbled and swatted at me, rolling over.

"Bella, honey, wake up," I murmured.

"No," Bella moaned.

"Honey, it's six o'clock. You need to eat something," I persisted.

Bella whined and buried her head in the pillow. I couldn't help, but laugh at her. She peeked out and glared at me. I placed my hand on her back and slowly moved it down. Her eyes widened as I squeezed her tight, little ass.

"Jake," Bella hissed.

"What?" I hummed, leaning down to nibble on her ear.

"Charlie's downstairs," Bella huffed.

"So?" I asked, moving to her neck.

"So… we can't… umm… we… can't… oh," Bella breathed, flipping over.

I grinned as I pressed my lips against hers. She moaned softly, wrapping her arms around my neck and threading her fingers in my hair. My hand on her hip tightened and pulled her closer to my body.

"Jake," Bella gasped.

God, I loved hearing my name in her breathy voice. The things it did to my heart and… other places.

Bella arched into me and I couldn't help the groan that escaped when she pressed herself against my aching erection. She gasped again and moved against me.

"Bella," I pleaded.

"God, Jake. So good," Bella moaned.

I groaned again and pressed harder against her. She responded eagerly, moving with me. I knew I wouldn't be able to last long if we kept this up and I was not fond of the idea of being caught by Charlie.

"Bells, we gotta stop," I panted.

"No," Bella denied breathlessly.

Her lips attached to my neck, sucking greedily. I knew she'd likely leave a mark and the thought thrilled me. There was something incredibly sexy about having my girl mark me. I gritted my teeth as she actually bit down on my neck.

"Please, Bells."

I had no idea whether I was asking for her to stop or keep going. Everything about her drove me further into my lust filled haze. It was so different with Bella, though. True, the lust was strong, but, damn me to hell, if there wasn't just as much love.

"What do you want, Jake?" Bella asked.

I pulled back to look in her eyes. She was watching me, her eyes bright and full of innocent passion. I buried my head in her neck, my entire body tensed above her.

"We have to stop, honey. We can't do this here. Not with Charlie just downstairs. Our first time is going to be special, no matter how long I have to wait. I want it to be special for you," I insisted weakly.

"It will be special, Jake, cause it'll be with you," Bella whispered, kissing my cheek.

God, I felt ten kinds a jerk.

"Not tonight, honey. Soon, but not tonight," I gulped.

"Promise?" Bella sighed.

"Promise. I can't hold out much longer," I chuckled darkly.

Bella giggled and pushed on my shoulder. I groaned and fell onto the bed beside her, staring at the ceiling.

"Do you want some help with that?"

I glanced over at her and saw her staring at my crotch. I closed my eyes tightly and focused on breathing. It didn't help that her arousal saturated the air around me.

_Damn it!_

"I'm fine, honey. You go see to dinner. I'll be down in a second," I assured her tensely.

She smiled at me softly, leaning down for a quick kiss. She hopped off the bed before it could turn into something more and practically danced out of the room.

My ego swelled drastically, seeing that._ I_ made her feel like that. _I _was the one who made her graceful in her bliss. That made it easier to let her go down the stairs to Charlie.

I rubbed my face with my hand and sighed. I glared at the bulge in my pants.

"Get a grip," I grumbled at it.

Knowing it wouldn't be going down any time soon, I shifted myself out of bed and went into the bathroom. There was no way I was facing Charlie with a raging hard on. He'd immediately know what had been going on in his daughter's room.

So, I locked the door behind me and leaned against the wall. One of Bella's towels was in here and I grabbed it. It smelled like her. I breathed it in as I unbuttoned and unzipped my shorts.

My hand went down to my swollen dick and started pumping. I imagined Bella from a few minutes ago, moaning and moving against me. I imagined it was her hand touching me. Better yet, I imagined her mouth wrapped around me, sucking me dry. Her hot, little tongue licking me from base to tip, paying special attention to the head.

My breathing was getting heavy as I felt myself close to release. Just a little longer.

Images flashed behind my eyelids. Bella lying naked beneath me. Bella pumping my cock. Bella screaming my name as I slid inside her tight heat.

I groaned as I shot my seed into her towel, panting heavily as I came down from the high only Bella could give me.

Well, Bella and my hand.

I chuckled darkly as I threw the towel under her bed, promising myself I would take care of it later. I walked down the stairs to see Bella standing at the stove with Charlie sitting at the table.

She looked up when I walked in and gave me a small smile. I returned it and walked over to her, kissing her briefly before going to sit with Charlie.

As we talked about the game that had been on earlier, I felt a sense of contentment. My girl was laughing and cooking for me and her dad; her dad was going on about the close game; and I was basking in the glow of love that encompassed the entire house.

The little pixie vampire was right. This was definitely worth fighting for and I'll be damned if I let the Volturi take it from me.

* * *

**So, I got a lot of responses to Bella hitting Edward, which I find very funny. It was a last minute thing and I almost didn't put it in. Glad I did, though! I'm sorry you didn't get to see Edward's shock treatment. I promise, we're not done with it. There's still a whole week coming.**

**Alright, I have a conference this weekend, so I'm not sure how often I'll be able to write, but I'll try to write in-between sessions. See you guys next chapter!!**


	23. Chapter 23: Test Results

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Twenty-Three

"Hey, Bella. Wait up," Angela called.

I turned and saw her hurrying towards me as we walked out of school. She came to a stop beside me, slightly out of breath. I smiled as she straightened up.

"What's up, Ang?" I asked.

"What are you doing this weekend?" Angela asked.

"I'm going to Port Angeles with Alice and Leah. We're prom dress shopping," I sighed.

"Oh. Okay, then. Sounds fun. I'll see you tomorrow," Angela said, her face falling as she turned away.

"Ang?" I called.

She turned back, her eyebrows raised in question.

"Do you want to come with us?" I offered.

"Are you sure? I don't want to impose," Angela questioned slowly.

"Of course I'm sure. Come on. It'll be fun," I urged.

"Alright," Angela grinned.

"Okay. I'll talk details with you tomorrow," I told her.

She nodded and waved, walking away. I shook my head and started towards my truck. Jared was leaning against the driver's side door. I skipped up to him and grinned.

"Hey, Jared. Whatcha doing?" I sang.

Jared laughed softly, shaking his head at me.

"Nothing much, Bella. You ready?" Jared asked.

"Yep. Let's go kick vampire butt!" I cheered.

Jared rolled his eyes and took my bag. I went around and slid into the passenger seat. Jared hopped in and started up my truck. I watched the scenery flash by as Jared drummed his fingers against the steering wheel. I grinned and sat up straight when we pulled into the Cullen's driveway.

"Excited for another round with Crazy Kate?" Jared laughed.

"You know it!" I shouted, punching the air.

Jared laughed harder and shook his head at me. I joined him as he came to a stop in front of the house. He climbed out of the truck and I moved to follow him, but stopped.

"Jared? Why's Charlie's cruiser here?" I asked.

Jared looked at the cruiser, looked at me, and sighed.

"Jake was supposed to tell you, damn it," Jared grumbled.

"What's going on?" I pushed, my eyes narrowed.

"Come on. They'll explain it all to you. I don't want to get chewed out for _their_ brilliant idea," Jared huffed, holding out a hand to me.

I slid out of the truck and took his offered hand. He led me around up the front steps and into the house. Everyone was gathered in the living room. The wolves were around Charlie, protecting him from the human drinkers. The vampires were keeping their distance, but were too interested in this new development to stay away.

"What's going on? Dad, why are you here?" I asked, frowning at everyone in confusion.

"Bells, I am not going to be left in the dark again. After what that bitch, Victoria, did to you, I want to make sure these leeches aren't causing any problems," Charlie glared.

I choked back a laugh when my dad called the vampires "leeches". He had obviously been talking to Billy and the pack too much.

"Honey, he's here to watch you practice with Kate. He wants to make sure you can defend yourself," Jake explained, coming to take my hand.

I shook my head and glanced around the room. Everyone was waiting for me to decide how to go about this.

"Alright. Let's head out back," I sighed, shoulders slumping.

Jake brought me to his side and kissed my temple. I closed my eyes, inhaling his scent.

"I missed you today. How was school?" Jake asked as we walked outside.

"Alright, I guess. I can't wait for graduation," I groaned.

"Me either," Jake grinned.

I laughed as I walked away from him to stand near Kate. Edward walked up beside me, his face entirely blank.

"Alright, Bella. Let's see if you can keep me from shocking Edward," Kate grinned.

My shield was already up and around Edward when I felt a slight twinge. It wasn't uncomfortable and it didn't hurt. I was just a slight annoyance, like a bug buzzing in your ear.

"Ugh. Cut it out, Kate," I grumbled, shaking myself off.

The feeling stopped and Kate frowned at me.

"What?" Kate asked.

"It was annoying," I told her.

"Hmmm. Was it like that yesterday?" Kate asked.

"No. Yesterday, I didn't feel anything," I answered.

"What do you think, Carlisle?" Kate questioned, turning to the vampire.

"It could be that her abilities are expanding to the point of where she can tell a violent threat from a non-violent threat. Bella, why don't you block someone else and see what it feels like when Edward tries to read their mind," Carlisle suggested.

I shrugged in agreement and dropped my shield from around Edward. Emmett came bounding up to me, grinning like a madman.

"I want to try it!" Emmett cried eagerly.

I laughed and projected my shield around him. We all looked at Edward as he tried to get a read on Emmett. I felt something similar to the brush of fingertips and started giggling.

"Stop! Stop!" I laughed.

Instantly, it faded.

"That tickled," I gasped, grinning.

"Interesting," Carlisle hummed.

I still had my shield around Emmett. Before I could drop it, he ran and tackled Edward to the ground. The two started wrestling, Emmett clearly having the upper hand. I tried to watch, but their movements were too fast for my eyes. I caught a few flashes, but that was it. I could, however, hear them. I was extremely glad there weren't any young ears around to pick up on the language of these two.

Emmett came out victorious, sitting on Edward's back and shoving his face into the ground.

"Ha! Finally, I beat you!" Emmett cheered.

Edward shouted something into the dirt.

"What was that, bro? I can't hear you with your face in the dirt," Emmett laughed.

"Emmett, get off him," I chided, moving towards them.

"Aw, come on, Bella. It's the first time I've ever been able to take him out. Every other time, he just reads my mind," Emmett pouted.

I paused in mid-stride.

"_That's_ why you volunteered?" I asked incredulously.

"Of course. Why else?" Emmett shrugged.

I glared at him and shook my head, resuming my walk towards them.

"Up, Emmett. I need my dummy," I insisted.

Emmett threw back his head and laughed causing a flock of birds to take flight in the distance. He stood up, still laughing and pulled me into a hug.

"Damn, you're funny, Bella," Emmett chortled.

"Yeah, yeah. Hilarious human. I know," I waved him off.

Edward was already on his feet, brushing off his clothes. He was glaring at Emmett's retreating back. His lips pulled back in a silent growl and I quickly stepped between the two.

"Don't even think about it. We still have work to do," I reminded him.

Edward's eyes landed on me and he relaxed his pose. I smiled at him a little and turned to Kate.

"What's next?" I asked.

"If I may? I'd like to try something," Zafrina requested.

"Of course," Kate agreed, motioning towards me.

"I'd like to see how many people Bella can affect. No body panic. Once you can see again, raise your hand," Zafrina called.

In the next instant, everyone except Zafrina and myself wore blank expressions. I frowned at her, confused as to what I was supposed to do.

"Protect them with your shield. Right now, they can't see anything. It's entirely black," Zafrina explained.

"Oh," I mouthed.

I projected my shield to those around me. The feeling was a little odd. It was in-between a tickle and an annoyance. It was a little uncomfortable, but easy to work around.

Gradually, everyone gained sight of their surroundings again. Just to be certain, I threw the shield over the house. I wasn't sure, but I thought Alistair was in the attic.

Zafrina smiled at me.

"Well done, Bella. You were able to protect everyone here," Zafrina praised.

"Even Alistair?" I asked.

Zafrina nodded, smiling wider. I giggled excitedly, clapping my hands as I did a little happy dance around the back yard. I heard others laughing at me, but couldn't find it in myself to care at the moment. I had just projected a shield large enough to cover the Cullen's back yard and house!

"Alright, Bella. It's time to run through some physical challenges," Carlisle insisted.

I stopped my happy dance to look at him expectantly.

"First, I want to see how much stronger you are," Carlisle started.

I nodded in agreement and waited for him to continue.

"There is a weight system set up for you in my office, as well as a treadmill. I want to test your endurance. We'll start there and come back out after," Carlisle stated.

"Sounds good. Let's go do it," I smiled.

Carlisle held out his arm, indicating for me to go first. I walked into the house, Jake moving to walk beside me. I took his hand as we climbed the stairs to Carlisle's office. There was a weight machine that could be found in any gym around the country. Carlisle walked over to it and began working the weights.

"Bella, if you'll come over and lie down," Carlisle requested.

I did as he asked, Jake right behind me. I noticed his face was creased with worry. I reached out and squeezed his hand.

"It's going to be fine, whatever we find out," I assured him.

Jake nodded tersely and took a deep breath. Charlie moved to stand beside him, frowning at Carlisle as he instructed me on how to work the machine.

I grabbed the bar and pulled it to my chest easily. Carlisle had me pause and added more weights. Again, the bar came down easily. We tried again and again until I was pulling all of the weights.

"Impressive. Now, were you calling on the pack strength at all?" Carlisle asked, taking notes.

"No. I was trying to keep it to my own strength. I didn't even really think about calling on them," I answered.

Carlisle nodded and scribbled on his note pad.

"You can get up now, Bella," Carlisle informed me.

I sat up and moved to face Jake, still sitting. He had his arms resting on his knees, leaning towards me. I slipped my legs in-between his two and took hold of his hands. He gave me a weak smile.

"You alright?" I asked softly.

"Yeah. You?" Jake murmured.

"Perfect," I grinned.

Jake smiled wider and stood up, reaching out a hand to assist me. I took it and held on as we walked over to the treadmill. Carlisle instructed me to step on and we started off at an even pace. Gradually, he increased the speeds until I was full on running. I was amazed at how easy it was. I wasn't even breaking a sweat.

"Slow it down, Bella," Carlisle called over the sound of the machine.

I slowed to a walk and looked at him.

"I think you're good to get off," Carlisle smiled.

I hopped off and faced him head on.

"What's the verdict so far?" I asked.

Jake stood beside me, one arm around my waist. Charlie was on the other side, trying to look intimidating. It was pretty hard to do since he was trying to intimidate a vampire.

"Your strength has far surpassed a normal human your size. I would think you are as strong as the wolves now. As for your ability to run, you seem to have adapted to their way as well. It seems as if you have all the abilities of the wolf without phasing," Carlisle remarked.

"Billy already told us I wouldn't phase, that my job was best served as a human," I informed him.

"That may be. I won't know any more details until your blood work comes back," Carlisle nodded.

"How's that going?" Jake asked, tightening his grip.

"Should be done soon. Probably before you leave tonight," Carlisle answered.

"When did you take blood?" Charlie asked, speaking for the first time.

He sounded kind of pissed.

"Yesterday. It was necessary to understand the changes going on inside of her, Charlie. I assure you, we took the least amount possible," Carlisle stated.

"I was here, Chief. Only me and Carlisle were in the room. No way I would've let him hurt her," Jake promised, growling slightly at the thought.

Charlie nodded once, satisfied with Jake's answer.

"Now, I'd like to go back outside. There's one last test I'd like to run," Carlisle claimed.

We followed him back outside where everyone else was waiting. They had been listening in to the conversation above, if I was going by the looks on their faces. They all looked impressed as I walked out. I blushed and shrunk into Jake's side.

"Bella, stand by the river. The rest of you, against the house," Carlisle instructed.

The wolves growled softly, not wanting me so far away from them.

"I'll be fine," I murmured, pushing Jake gently in the direction of the house.

His gaze was intense as it held mine, but I was persistent and urged him to follow Carlisle's instructions. I knew no one here would hurt me.

Charlie followed, being pulled along by Alice. Surprisingly, he still had a soft spot for her, even after finding out what she was. I knew she was thrilled.

As I walked to the river, I wondered what Carlisle wanted to do as his final test. I stopped a few feet away from the water and turned to face the house. Carlisle was halfway between me and the others. He was watching me intently.

"I have been over this with my entire family. No one is going to hurt you," Carlisle assured me.

I frowned, but nodded. I already knew no one was going to hurt me.

"Stay as relaxed as possible," Carlisle told me.

I nodded again, wondering what was going on.

Carlisle started backing away slowly, keeping his eyes trained on me the entire time. I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up and knew what was going on a millisecond before the word left his mouth.

"Now."

Instantly, Jasper was running right for me, his intentions clear. I took a defensive position and leapt out of the way right as he came close to me. I turned, prepared to take him on as he advanced towards me. He growled and moved to attack again.

This time, I stood my ground and deflected his attack. We became wrapped in a complex dance of lunge and retreat, neither of us gaining the upper hand. Jasper would move to grab me and I would escape just before he could make contact. I sprung to attack him and he would dodge accordingly.

I was surprised at how calm I was fighting Jasper. He was the toughest strategist I knew. He had fought in the Civil War and become the youngest Major in the Confederate army. It was astonishing that I was still standing against him.

Jasper started speeding up his movements, coming at me quicker and quicker. I followed his movements easily, having little to no trouble escaping him. I could tell he was starting to get frustrated and knew he might lose it if we didn't finish this soon.

Figuring it would be easier for him to take me down than for me to take him down, I intentionally allowed him to catch me as he made his next move. I was on my back before I knew what had happened, blinking up at the dark grey sky.

The air rippled as the wolves all phased at once, unable to stand the sight of their Omega being pinned down by a vampire. I expected them to all come barreling towards Jasper, but none of them came.

Jasper's head appeared in my vision and he was frowning at me.

"You let me take you down," Jasper stated.

"Yeah. I figured I'd end it before it got out of hand," I shrugged.

Jasper frowned deeper and offered me a hand. I took it gladly and allowed him to pull me up. I turned to the house to see the entire pack surrounded by vampires. They were all growling at each other, seconds away from an all out attack.

My hackles were raised watching my pack surrounded and I moved to put a stop to the conflict.

"Stop! Stop it, right now! Everyone, back away from my pack!" I ordered, running up the hill.

Jasper was right behind me, intent on getting to Alice. I reached out a hand to hold him back. I didn't want the wolves to attack if they thought Jasper was making the first move. He tensed under my hand, but didn't move further.

"I mean it! Back away!" I shouted, losing patience.

Slowly, the vampires backed away from the snarling and growling wolves. My eyes locked on Sam and I connected with him instantly.

_Stand down, Sam. We don't need a fight right now. I'm fine,_ I insisted.

Sam nodded once, his eyes still on the vampires, and ordered the pack to stand down. They all immediately stopped growling and got out of their defensive positions. The vampires relaxed and I was able to run between two of them to my wolves. Jake grabbed my shirt between his teeth and pulled me behind the rest of our pack so I was standing with Charlie in the middle of a semi-circle against the house. Jake sniffed me over, looking for any sign that I was hurt.

_I'm fine, Jake,_ I assured him, running my fingers through his fur.

He didn't answer. All his thoughts were revolving around ripping Jasper apart and watching him burn. His anger and fear were mixing in a dangerous tumult of emotions. I was worried he wouldn't be able to hold onto his control much longer.

_Breath with me, honey,_ I instructed.

We took a deep breath together and I could feel him gradually calming down.

_Thanks,_ Jake murmured.

_Any time,_ I grinned, kissing his muzzle.

I turned to face the others. Jake moved to stand in front of me, his side pressed against my front. I threaded my fingers through the fur at his shoulders.

"Alright, first things first. Everybody just needs to take a deep breath," I soothed.

I smiled when they all listened and did as I suggested. I almost laughed out loud when I felt Charlie breath beside me.

"Good. Now, everything is fine. No body is hurt. I _let_ Jasper take me down. He understood. He wasn't going to hurt me," I emphasized.

The atmosphere relaxed another notch and the wolves were able to stop growling completely. Jake was still pressed against my front, watching the line just incase. I was running my fingers through his fur, calming us both down.

"I apologize, Bella. I hadn't realized how difficult it would be for your wolves," Carlisle admitted.

A few of the wolves snorted, obviously not believing him. Sam bared his teeth in warning. I rolled my eyes at them.

"It's alright, Carlisle. It's not your fault. They need to learn that I can handle myself," I said pointedly.

All eight pairs of wolf eyes shifted to me, each one with the exact same look.

"Don't give me that look. I can!" I scolded.

The huff that went around the circle clearly stated their lack of faith in me. Charlie chuckled beside me as I stuck my tongue out at them.

"Bells, I think it's time you and I headed on home," Charlie suggested.

"Sure thing, Dad. The wolves need to go get some clothes anyway," I sighed.

"I will be sure to call you, Bella, if your blood test shows anything detrimental," Carlisle promised.

"Thanks, Carlisle. Hey, Alice?" I called, turning to find her.

She pocked her head around Jasper and gave me a questioning smile.

"My friend Angela is going to come with us on Saturday. She needs a dress, too. What time should I tell her?" I asked.

"How does ten o'clock sound?" Alice questioned.

"Fine with me. Leah?" I turned to look at the wolf girl.

She nodded her head with a little chuff. I smiled and nodded to Alice.

"Great! I'll pick everyone up at Bella's, then," Alice grinned, clapping her hands excitedly.

"Sounds good, Alice. See you guys tomorrow," I called, walking with Charlie to the front of the house.

The wolves followed slowly, some of them continuing to glance over their shoulders to the vampires. I shook my head at them, smiling at their protective natures. Charlie glanced over at me and grinned.

"You did good, Bells. I'm proud of you," Charlie told me quietly.

I smiled up at him and felt the beginnings of tears prickle my eyes. He winked at me and I threw my arms around him in a hug.

"Thanks, Dad. It really means a lot to hear you say that," I mumbled into his shirt.

He patted my back awkwardly and kissed the top of my head. I chuckled and dropped my arms. His face was red and his eyes looked a little wet. He cleared his throat gruffly and walked to his cruiser.

Jake bumped the side of my leg.

"What?" I asked, looking at him.

He motioned towards the truck with his head. I sighed and shook my head at him. He shoved his muzzle into my back and pushed me along. I giggled as I stumbled over my feet, trying to stop my forward movement. Jake mock growled at me and shoved me a little harder.

"Jake!" I laughed, tripping forward.

I caught myself before I started going down. I turned and stuck my tongue out at him, walking to my truck.

"It's not nice to man-handle your girlfriend, Jake. Didn't your daddy ever teach you that?" I scolded playfully.

Jake snorted and rolled his eyes. I smiled at him, still laughing slightly.

"Come on, boy! In the truck! Come on! Hop up!" I encouraged, patting my leg.

Jake glared at me, but walked over and hopped into the truck. I laughed and climbed in after him. He took up most of the cab, being such a large werewolf. His bottom half was on the floor while his top half was stretched out over the passenger and middle seat, his head on my lap.

I ran my fingers over his ears and along his muzzle. He sighed and closed his eyes, enjoying my touch.

Charlie's cruiser chirped, telling me to get a move on. I started up the truck, loving the loud roar as she came to life again. The entire truck started shaking and Jake lifted his head, tilting it as he looked at the dashboard. I pushed down the accelerator and the shaking stopped. He looked up at me, obviously frowning.

"Hush. I was going to tell you about it," I glared at him playfully.

Jake rolled his eyes again and settled back on my lap. I honked the horn twice and waved towards the house as I followed Charlie back towards our house.

* * *

Jake and I were lying in my bed, each just watching the other breathe, when the call came in. We had only been home for a few hours, but when Charlie called up the stairs for us, we left again.

Jake kept hold of my hand as we drove back to the Cullen's house. Charlie kept glancing in our direction before he would refocus on the road. None of us spoke the entire ride there.

When Charlie parked the cruiser in front of the house, Jake tensed and gripped my hand tighter.

"Dad, could you give us a minute?" I asked softly.

"Sure thing, Bells," Charlie agreed.

He slid out of the car and shut the door before walking towards the house. He glanced over his shoulder once and disappeared through the door.

I turned my attention to Jake and noticed that he was trembling slightly. I rubbed my hand up and down his arm.

"What's wrong, Jake?" I asked, kissing his exposed shoulder.

He took a deep breath in through his nose, closing his eyes. He looked down at me and my heart clenched at the raw pain there.

"Jake," I gasped, moving closer to him.

He swallowed and grabbed my waist, pulling me so I was sitting in his lap. His face buried in my neck as he struggled to control his breathing. I ran my fingers through his hair, trying to calm him down.

"Shh, honey. It's going to be okay. I won't leave you," I promised.

"God, Bells. I can't lose you," Jake choked.

"You won't. No matter what Carlisle tells us, nothing is going to take me away from you," I vowed.

"I love you," Jake said, lifting his head to look into my eyes.

"I love you, too," I whispered.

One of his hands came up to cup my cheek, pulling me closer to him. Our lips connected forcefully. I opened my mouth as Jake's tongue brushed against my lower lip. My hands moved to the back of his neck and pulled myself closer to him. Jake moaned in my mouth as his hand moved from my cheek to trail down to my hip. He squeezed tightly and moved me so I was straddling his lap.

I gasped as I felt his erection pressing against my center. His lips trailed down to my neck, sucking and nipping at the sensitive spot at my collarbone. I moaned and pressed myself closer to him.

"Bella," Jake groaned.

I bit my lip as his hands moved to grasp my hips and move me against him. The friction was exactly what I needed and I moved with him. He growled softly and attacked my lips again. I whimpered as he sucked my tongue into his mouth, imitating the motions of our hips. A flood of moisture pooled between my legs and I moved against him a little more frantically. The tension in my stomach was coiling deliciously.

Jake growled again and I knew he could smell my desire for him. One of his hands moved to cup me through my jeans, causing my head to fall back against the front seat of the cruiser. Jake moved to fasten his lips on my neck, licking my pulse point as I moved against his hand.

A sudden rapping on the window broke us apart. I looked up, wide eyed to see Quil standing there, grinning like a fool. Jake snarled at him and placed me on the seat so he could block me from view. I could feel the heat in my cheeks from getting caught doing that with Jake in my dad's cruiser. My hands flew up to cover my face in embarrassment.

"Hey, man, don't get mad at me. Sam sent me out here to get you guys. Everyone's freaking out in there," Quil claimed, holding up his hands in surrender.

I dropped my hands and looked out the window. Quil looked a little uncomfortable now and I figured it was because of all the tension in the house behind him. Jake ignored Quil's comments and continued to glare at his friend.

"Come on, Jake. Quil's right. We need to go inside and see what Carlisle found out," I murmured, placing my hand on his bicep.

He breathed out a sigh and reached back to take my hand. I gave his a squeeze as he opened the door and stepped outside, pulling me along with him. Quil smirked at the two of us.

"Hi, Bella," Quil greeted.

"Hey, Quil. What's up?" I asked, blushing slightly.

"Nothing much. Just, you know, hanging with the leeches," Quil shrugged.

"Yeah," I nodded pensively.

Jake rolled his eyes at us.

"Come on. I want to get this over with," Jake grumbled.

"It'll be fine, Jake," I assured him.

"Right," Jake frowned.

"Seriously, dude, chill out. It's going to be cool. What could Doc have found wrong? Bella's healthy. He's not going to tell us anything we don't already know," Quil told him, clapping a hand on Jake's shoulder.

Jake just nodded once in response as we moved towards the house. He paused for a few seconds before opening the door. Only the Cullens were sitting around with the wolves. I frowned as we walked in.

"Where's everyone else?" I asked.

"I sent them out to hunt. I figured it would make this easier," Carlisle sighed.

Jake tensed beside me and I hushed him gently, pressing myself closer to him. He dropped my hand to put his arm around my shoulders.

"Why don't you sit down? This might take a little while," Carlisle suggested, motioning to the only available seat; a white love seat.

I led Jake over to the small couch and sat down beside him. I smiled slightly as I realized the pack was sitting in their usual spots for pack meetings.

"What did the test say?" Jake asked, getting straight to the point.

"As you know, I ran multiple tests. I wanted to make sure we didn't miss anything. The first thing you should all know is that Bella is extremely healthy. I could find nothing wrong with her physically," Carlisle started.

Jake relaxed a fraction beside me and I leaned my head against his arm. He bent down to kiss the top of my head and nuzzle my hair.

"The second test I ran showed that she has twenty-four chromosomes. It seems as though her genetic make-up is identical to that of the pack. I would assume that means she has accelerated healing abilities along with the other abilities we've already tested. I would like to check that, if you are agreeable," Carlisle continued, looking to Sam.

Jake growled and shot out of his seat.

"No. You are not going to hurt her just to test some theory," Jake snarled.

I grabbed his arm as he started shaking and pulled myself up to stand beside him. He was still growling as I wrapped my arms around him.

"Bella, you shouldn't be near him. He's about to phase," Edward warned, his voice a little frantic.

Jake snarled at him, but I ignored them both.

"Shh, Jake. No one's going to hurt me," I murmured against his skin.

Gradually, his shaking calmed and he was able to sit back down with me in his arms. He buried his face in my hair, breathing deeply.

"No testing," Jake grumbled.

"We wouldn't have to hurt her, Jacob. We could numb the area and simply prick her with a needle. It would be painless for her and we would get our answer," Carlisle attempted to convince him.

Jake growled louder and glared at Carlisle.

"You expect me to let you cut her and draw blood in a house full of vampires?" Jake asked in a deadly voice.

"Jake," I started softly.

"No, Bella. I refuse to let you go through with this one. I will not put your life in danger just so Doc, here, can relieve his curiosity," Jake rumbled.

"I know. Just, calm down. No one's going to hurt me," I whispered, kissing the underside of his jaw.

Jake breathed and relaxed his shoulders, but didn't release his grip on me.

"I can answer you question already, Carlisle. I do heal faster than normal. One of the first things I noticed as I went through the change was that I healed extremely fast. I cut my feet as I walked through the woods one night and by the next day, they were healed," I informed him.

Carlisle looked surprised, but nodded.

"Very well. Are there any other abilities you know you have?" Carlisle asked.

I glanced at Sam to make sure it was okay to share the information they were asking for. Sam nodded once.

"I can heal the body and soul," I answered.

Every single Cullen looked at me in surprise. I smiled slightly and lifted one shoulder in a shrug.

"You… you can heal the… soul?" Edward stuttered.

"Yeah," I smiled, glancing over at Leah.

She smiled and gave me a wink.

"How?" Edward asked, leaning forward.

"I don't know. I just do it. It takes a lot of energy, though. Last time, I was out for a few days," I told them.

Jake scoffed.

"Last time, she almost died," Jake corrected.

I slapped his arm and glared at him.

"He's exaggerating. It wasn't that bad," I assured the Cullens.

"Oh, really? You were asleep for three days and the doctors didn't think you'd wake up. Plus, your heart stopped at the beach after you'd helped Leah," Jake growled.

"Hush! That was just because I stopped calling on the pack strength," I admonished.

Jake groaned and fell against the couch.

"Stubborn woman," Jake grumbled.

I mock growled at him. He just shook his head and smiled fondly at me.

"How can you tell if a soul is broken?" Edward pressed, getting us back on topic.

"I just know," I shrugged.

"Can you… I mean… Is my…" Edward trailed off.

I smiled and stood up. Everyone watched as I walked over to stand in front of him. His eyes were wide as I reached out and laid my hand over his heart. I closed my eyes and relaxed my body, bringing forth my healing abilities.

I felt Edward breathing as I searched for his soul. Everyone else in the room was waiting with bated breath. I could feel my abilities becoming stronger as I searched. Tears started prickling my eyes as I pulled my hand away.

"Oh, Edward," I whimpered, letting a few tears fall.

Edward was devastated. His entire face fell into a painful grimace. I threw my arms around his neck and sobbed.

"You have a beautiful soul. I've never seen anything so beautiful in my entire life," I cried into his neck.

Edward gasped and stiffened beneath me. I pulled back to look into his eyes. He was watching me with awe and amazement.

"I told you. Do you believe me now?" I asked, sniffling.

He nodded once and hugged me tightly to his chest as his body shook with tearless sobs. I cried with him and for him as he allowed himself to finally let go of the darkest weight on his heart.

"Thank you, Bella," Edward rasped.

"You're welcome," I whispered.

I smiled at him as I moved to sit back beside Jake. He took hold of my hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss.

"I love you," Jake murmured.

"I love you, too," I replied, kissing him briefly.

I turned to look at my family and smiled. Seth had moved to sit with Edward, both of them laughing easily. Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett were goofing off with Quil, Embry, Jared, and Paul. Sam was talking to Carlisle about getting together this weekend for another training session. Esme was talking to Charlie about graduation plans. Alice was chattering away to Leah about shopping this weekend. Everything was finally settling down for my wolves.

Jake squeezed my hand and I looked up at him.

"What are you thinking about?" Jake asked softly.

"This feels right, doesn't it? Having everyone here together, getting along," I sighed happily.

Jake looked around the room and smiled. His eyes landed back on me.

"It's all thanks to you, honey. None of this would've happened without you," Jake said.

I bit my lip and looked at my family again.

"Do you think we'll win?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I know we will," Jake answered arrogantly.

"What makes you so sure?" I asked, my eyes tearing up.

His hand cupped my chin and brought my face around to look at him.

"It's like Alice said. We have something worth fighting for. There's nothing more important to me in the entire world than you. I love you and I'll be damned if I lose you to a bunch of leeches," Jake vowed.

"I love you," I breathed.

Jake grinned and kissed the tip of my nose. I scrunched it up and giggled softly.

"Everything will be fine, honey. The only thing you're allowed to worry about for now is prom dress shopping with Alice," Jake grinned.

"Ugh! Don't remind me," I groaned, burying my face into his chest.

"Oh, come on. I'm looking forward to see you in a dress," Jake chuckled.

"Who said I was wearing a dress or even going to prom?" I asked.

"Isabella Swan! You are wearing a dress, you are going to prom, and you will have a good time!" Alice shouted from across the room.

"But, Alice, I don't wanna," I whined.

"I don't care. You're going," Alice harrumphed.

"Edward, tell her I don't want to go," I pleaded.

"Alice, she doesn't want to go," Edward repeated to his sister.

"Too bad," Alice waved off.

Edward looked at me and shrugged.

"Gee, thanks for putting forth so much effort, Edward," I scowled.

"I tried," Edward smirked.

"Alice, please don't make me go. I can't dance," I begged.

"You danced fine last year," Alice pointed out.

"That's only because I was standing on Edward's feet!" I cried.

"So you can stand on Jacob's this year," Alice argued.

"She hasn't asked me yet, Alice," Jake brought up.

Alice looked from Jake to me, her eyes narrowed into dangerous slits.

"I don't want to go. Why would I subject him to this torture?" I asked.

"Bella, you are going, with or without Jacob. Now, I suggest you ask your boyfriend, since it will make the night more enjoyable for you, but you don't have to," Alice stated.

I groaned and looked at Jake pleadingly. He was trying to hold back laughter as his dancing eyes met mine.

"Jake, will you please go through this hellish thing called prom with me?" I asked forlornly.

"Well, gosh, when you ask like that, how can I say no?" Jake grinned, his voice dripping in sarcasm.

"I really don't want to go," I repeated for the umpteenth time.

"I know, but it'll be fine. I'll make sure we have fun," Jake promised.

"Fine. It's not like I have much of a choice anyway," I sighed.

"This is going to be so much fun! Leah, you'll have to come, too. I'm sure we can find someone to bring you as their date. Maybe Tyler. I heard he was quite taken with you at the movies and I know for a fact that he doesn't have a date yet. I refuse to consider Mike Newton. He is simply repulsive…"

As Alice continued talking about which guy she would get to take Leah, I snuggled back against Jake's chest, nestled in his arms, and allowed the peace of the moment to surround me. Jake pressed a kiss to my temple, settled back against the couch, and started up a conversation with Emmett about who was going to get drafted to what football team for the next season.

I was finally convinced that everything would be fine.

* * *

**I know it's been forever and I am seriously sorry! I didn't think it was going to take this long to write this chapter, but life kept getting in the way. School will be finished for the year on April 30****th**** and I will have lots more time to write!!**

**I won't make any promises about when the next chapter will be up. I'll write when I can and post when I can. Again, I'm really sorry this is going so much slower than in the beginning. I feel really bad for doing this to you guys! **

**The next chapter will skip ahead to the shopping weekend and you might get a little surprise. I'll give you one little hint: Billy and Charlie are going fishing. I'll see you guys next chapter!!**


	24. Chapter 24: The Mark

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Twenty-Four

_I watched as the battle played out before me. Vampires going against vampires and wolves. The sight was horrendous. I could hear the tears of metal as body parts were removed from the stone cold creatures. There was a howl of pain from one of the wolves as a red-eyes vampire shattered their leg. The snarls and growls surrounded me completely and, yet, none of it touched me._

_I looked across the field at the only other being that wasn't a part of the fighting. The Volturi's Omega stared back at me, unblinking. He was older, much older than myself. His hair wasn't quite grey, but neither was it the vibrant black it must have been in his younger years. His cool blue eyes told tales of the horrors he had witnessed and, possibly, participated in._

"_You need to be ready for this," the Omega said._

"_I'm trying," I told him, slightly frustrated._

"_This will be happening before you know it," he responded cryptically._

"_When?" I asked, eager for a set time._

"_Soon. Be ready."_

_A blood curdling scream sounded through the air. I was shaking from the obvious pain of the scream and could hear someone calling my name._

* * *

"Bella! Bella, wake up!"

I blinked and realized the scream from my dream had been my own. I immediately stopped and blinked up at Charlie. He was frowning down at me, obviously concerned.

"Are you alright? Should I call for Jacob or Sam?" Charlie asked, unsure of what to do in this situation.

"No. No, I'm fine. It was just a bad dream," I assured him.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Charlie offered awkwardly.

I gave him a small smile and patted his hand on my knee.

"I'm alright, Dad. It was just another dream about the Volturi. I'll be sure to tell Sam later," I promised him.

Charlie grunted and nodded his head. I'd woken him up screaming before. It wasn't anything new, but this time, the dreams were premonitions. I knew I was being warned that the battle was coming.

"I'm leaving to go fishing with Billy and Harry in about an hour. Are you going to be alright here until Alice and the girls come?" Charlie asked.

"Sure, sure. Go have fun," I waved him off, flopping against my pillow.

"I'll have my phone on me. You call if anything happens, you hear?" Charlie ordered.

"Sure, sure," I repeated, smiling slightly.

He shook his head at me as he walked out the door, a small smile on his face. The door clicked softly as he closed it and I let out a sigh.

The dreams were becoming more vivid and this past one was the first time I'd ever heard someone talk. I wondered vaguely if the Volturi's Omega was communicating to me intentionally or if this was all just some trick. Maybe it was the Spirits attempting to reach me through my dreams.

I sighed and rubbed my hand over my face, much like Sam did when he was tired or stressed. I figured I'd have to talk to Billy or one of the other Elders about the dreams. They would be able to tell me if they were truly warnings or just some trick being played on me by my mind or the Volturi.

I glanced over at the clock and saw that it was just a little after five in the morning. I wouldn't be able to talk to Billy or Harry this weekend, since they would be fishing with Charlie, and I didn't really feel comfortable enough to talk to Quil Sr. about my dreams. My best bet would be to wait until Billy got back and talk to him. I'd probably have to fill in Sam as well. He'd likely want to be there for the meeting. That also meant that the rest of the pack would find out and I wasn't sure I wanted that just yet.

I didn't know how to handle the situation and it was stressing me out. I knew I'd never be able to get back to sleep, so I swung my legs out of bed and headed for the shower. The warm water helped to relax my muscles and tired mind, allowing me to let go over the anxiety that came with the job of protecting my pack.

After half an hour, I was able to step out, completely at ease. The steam billowing around my feet made the floor slippery, but I hadn't fallen in since becoming Omega. I walked into my room, rifling through my clothes for something Alice-approved. I came out with dark washed jeans and a fairly decent green v-neck sweater. I was fairly certain it was something Alice had picked out on one of our previous shopping trips, so I was sure she wouldn't complain.

I walked downstairs and starting looking for something to fix for breakfast. We had a full carton of eggs and a package of sausage in the fridge. Taking them both out and setting them beside the stove, I pulled out the frying pan and settled on scrambled eggs with sausage.

I wondered who was on Bella Watch last night since Jake had to meet with Sam last night and patrol La Push. I ducked out the back door, wrapping my arms around myself to ward off the early morning chill. Reaching through to the pack mind, I discovered it was Embry patrolling around my house.

"Embry. Come in and get something to eat. I know you're starving," I called quietly.

I walked back inside to escape the cold and began cooking breakfast for the two of us. About five minutes later, Embry came striding through the back door looking exhausted. He plopped down into one of the chairs at the kitchen table, groaning as he did so.

"Long night, Em?" I asked softly.

"God, you have no idea. Sam's going over board on the whole patrol schedule and Jake was patrolling La Push at the same time I was here. Needless to say, he was not thrilled with the arrangement," Embry groaned.

"I'm sorry, sweetie. I'll talk to Sam and see what I can do about that. He shouldn't work you boys so hard. You have enough to do with getting ready for this upcoming battle," I frowned.

"Don't worry about it, Bella. We all want to make sure you're safe. We just don't like doing that while you're temperamental boyfriend is phased at the same time," Embry chuckled.

"I'll talk to him, too. He needs to calm down and stop worrying about me so much," I grumbled good-naturedly.

"It comes with the imprint," Embry shrugged.

"I know," I sighed.

The sizzling of the sausage was the only sound for a while as he contemplated the floor and I paid attention to the food. I could sense his discomfort in the way he continued to shift in his chair and clean his throat. It didn't hurt that I was also his Omega and you can't hide your feelings from an Omega.

"What's on your mind, Em?" I asked, smiling softly.

He didn't respond right away and I turned slightly to look at him. He was frowning at the floor between his feet, bending over with his elbows resting on his knees.

"Embry?" I called quietly.

He glanced up at me and grimaced.

"Bella, what were you dreaming about last night?" Embry asked.

I stopped, my eyes wide as I tried to come up with something to tell him. Hoping to buy myself some time, I sidestepped with a question of my own.

"Why do you ask?"

"You were moaning a lot and calling out for the pack. You kept saying 'be ready'. Jake heard it through my mind and said you'd been having dreams like that a lot lately. He's starting to get worried," Embry explained.

I leaned against the counter, biting my lip in concentration. I didn't ever want to lie to my pack, but I didn't see the point in worrying them until I was certain these dreams meant something.

"It's nothing, Embry. Just a reoccurring nightmare. You guys shouldn't worry so much. You're all going to go prematurely grey," I teased.

The tension in the room dropped slightly as he grinned at me.

"I see what you're trying to do and I'll let it slide this time. Just be forewarned, Jake and Sam will probably be coming for explanations sooner rather than later," Embry informed me.

"Thanks for the heads up," I grinned, turning back to breakfast.

"Anytime," Embry smirked.

I shook my head and started dishing out the breakfast onto two plates, one considerably fuller than the other. Embry dove into the food with a vengeance, inhaling half of it within the first ten minutes.

"Jeeze, Em. Where you hungry or something?" I asked with a chuckle.

Embry just nodded, his face too stuffed to actually speak without spraying food everywhere. I shook my head at him and enjoyed my own plate. He finished well before me, sitting back in his chair and patting his stomach.

"That was good, Bella. Thanks," Embry sighed contently.

"No problem," I assured him.

"I'd probably better head out. My replacement will be here soon," Embry told me.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"Leah. She's going shopping with you, so it just made sense for her to come by after my shift was over," Embry shrugged.

"Good point," I nodded, picking up the dirty plates.

"Do you want help?" Embry offered.

"No, I got it. You go on home and get some rest. Wouldn't want you falling asleep later," I smiled.

"Ugh. Don't remind me. I don't know why Sam is so insistent on us fighting with the leeches. We already know everything we need to know," Embry grumbled.

"It never helps to keep things fresh," I pointed out.

Embry continued to complain under his breath about have to deal with the stench and not getting enough time to sleep with all the work Sam was giving them. I made a decision to go see Sam after the shopping trip to discuss letting the guys have a day off or something. They deserved it after everything they'd been doing.

A few minutes after Embry left, the back door opened again.

"Knock, knock. Anybody home?" Leah called, coming inside.

"Hey, Leah. I'm in the kitchen," I answered, elbow deep in soapy water.

"Why wasn't Embry at his post earlier? Were you feeding him again? Those boys are going to get fat with you and Emily shoving so much food down their throats," Leah smirked.

"You're just jealous I didn't make you breakfast," I taunted.

"Damn straight! Where's my food?" Leah mock glared.

"In the fridge. Fix it yourself," I laughed.

"Not cool, Bella. Us girls are supposed to stick together. I'm supposed to be your favorite! Not Embry," Leah pouted.

"Aw, I'm sorry, Leah. How bout I make you some yummy toast?" I offered, grinning.

"I'll give you toast," Leah threatened, shaking her fist at me.

I laughed and shook my head at her.

"Leah, that doesn't even make any sense," I told her.

Leah let out a huff and crossed her arms, turning away from me. She couldn't hide the smile that was turning up the corners of her mouth, so I knew she wasn't really angry.

"Oh, come on, Leah. You don't really think I'd make breakfast for Embry and not save you some, do you? It's in the pan, keeping warm," I said.

Leah instantly perked up and walked over to prepare her own plate. I smiled as she dug into the food with just a little less enthusiasm as Embry had. The perks of dining with a female werewolf instead of the males continued to pile up.

"So, Leah, are you excited about going to Prom with Tyler?" I asked slyly.

She blushed and looked down at her plate, pushing the food around with her fork.

"I still can't believe Alice convinced him to ask me," Leah mumbled.

"Alice only encouraged him to ask you. He's wanted to for a while. You're just a little intimidating. Especially with all those guys running around with you," I chuckled.

"Still," Leah murmured, staring at her plate.

"What's on your mind, Leah?" I asked, sitting across from her.

She pursed her lips before looking up at me from behind her hair.

"I'm worried about imprinting. What if Tyler and I get really close and then I go and imprint. I don't want to do that to anyone, Bella. It nearly killed me when it happened to Sam. How could I do that to someone else?" Leah sobbed.

I moved my chair over to her and wrapped my arms around her. She clung to me, burying her face into my chest. I stroked her hair and gently shushed her.

"Oh, Leah, I wish you'd come to me with these worries sooner," I sighed.

"Why? What can you do?" Leah sniffled.

"I could've told you. You won't imprint any time soon, sweetheart. You're still too torn up about what happened to Sam. I know you're moving on, but you've still got a long ways to go. Tyler's going to help you get there. I promise, it won't end badly. You'll both come out of it happy and remain really good friends," I informed her.

"How do you know?" Leah asked quietly.

"I saw it. You know how I have those prophetic dreams? I had one about you shortly after you jumped," I answered just as quietly.

"You aren't just saying this to make me feel better, are you?" Leah accused, leaning back to glare at me.

"Of course not, Leah. I know how much it hurts you. I would never do that," I frowned.

She pursed her lips again, looking for any sign of a lie. She suddenly smiled and threw her arms around me in a hug.

"Thank you, Bella. You're been a great friend to me. I don't know what I would've done without you," Leah said.

"You don't have to thank me, Leah. I have been happy to do it," I assured her.

We were interrupted by a knock on the door. Leah sat up and glanced around in a panic. I gave her a small smile as I stood up.

"The bathroom is the door right at the top of the stairs. Go clean up. It's just Angela. Alice won't be here for a little while longer," I instructed.

Leah nodded her thanks and scurried up the stairs as I went to answer the door.

"Good morning, Bella!" Angela greeted cheerfully.

"Hey, Ang. Come on in. Leah's upstairs, but she'll be right back down. We're just waiting for Alice at this point," I smiled, giving her the run down.

"Sounds good. I'm really excited for this year to be over. Can you believe we're going to be graduating in less than three weeks?" Angela squealed.

"I know," I nodded.

I heard Leah coming down the stairs and turned to see her smiling at Angela and myself. She came to stand beside us.

"Why are we standing by the door when we could be sitting down?" Leah asked.

Angela and I looked at each and then at Leah.

"I really don't know. I guess it's because we figured Alice would be here soon anyway and we'd just have to get back up again," I shrugged.

The sound of gravel crunching interrupted whatever Leah was about to say and I smirked at her.

"Speak of the devil," I murmured.

I opened the door to see Alice climbing out of Carlisle's Mercedes. She waved at us enthusiastically.

"Good morning, girls. Are you ready for a day of shopping?" Alice asked.

"Not all day, Alice. We'll be home by dinner," I informed her strictly.

She pouted and gave me her puppy-dog eyes. I laughed and climbed into the front seat.

"Alice, you should know better than to use puppy-dog eyes on me," I teased.

She snorted and rolled her eyes, backing out of the driveway. Leah laughed, getting the joke, while Angela gave me a confused smile. I shook my head, indicating not to worry about it.

"I am so excited for this shopping trip! We are all going to be the best dressed girls at this prom!" Alice claimed, bouncing in her seat.

"How could we not be with you there to tell us exactly what to wear?" I asked sarcastically.

"Well, I am a fashion expert," Alice agreed haughtily.

"Just remember, Alice, I don't do pink," Leah insisted.

Alice let out a laugh as she accelerated down the highway towards Port Angeles.

* * *

**Jake's POV**

After patrolling La Push all of last night, I wasn't exactly thrilled about Bella going to Port Angeles all day today. I hadn't seen her since dropping her off at home the night before. She had warned me that with the pixie shopping, she wouldn't be back until late.

I mentally cursed Sam as I hopped out of the shower. I didn't like the fact that I wasn't around last night when Bella was having her nightmare. Instead, I had to listen through Embry's mind as she screamed and called out for the pack. It was similar to dreams she'd been having before and I was worried they were more than just dreams. After all, she'd seen Leah diving off the cliff. She could be having more prophetic dreams.

I rubbed my hand over my face as I walked to my bedroom. The house was quiet seeing as Billy had left to go fishing with Charlie shortly after I had returned from patrols. I was looking forward to a weekend spent with my Bella without any adult interruptions. I was hoping we could finally be together tonight. I knew she was finally ready and I'd been ready since the moment I first saw her after countless summers of being apart.

The phone in the kitchen started ringing and I hurried to answer it, my towel wrapped firmly around my waist.

"Hello?" I answered, my voice a little gruffer than usual.

"Jake, I need you to come by as soon as you're dressed. I want to have a pack meeting while the girls are in Port Angeles," Sam informed me.

"Why? Has something happened?" I asked.

If Bella was in any form of danger, I wasn't going to waste time on a pack meeting. I'd be heading straight for Port Angeles.

"No. Not really. It'd be better to talk in person and with the whole pack. You don't have to worry about Bella, though. She's perfectly fine," Sam assured me, sensing my distress even through the phone.

"Alright. I'll be right there," I agreed, hanging up the phone.

I hurried into my room and grabbed a pair of shorts, throwing them on as I walked out the door. I could make it to Sam's faster as a wolf, but I'd get there fast enough as a human.

I walked through the front door to find everyone sitting around the living room in their usual spots. No one was talking and there was an undercurrent of tension in the room. Slowly, I walked over to the love seat I usually shared with Bella and sat down.

"What's going on?" I asked, focused on Sam.

"We need to talk about what's been happening with Bella," Sam started.

My hand flew to the seat beside me, where Bella would have been sitting if she was here. My breathing came a little shorter and I started shaking.

"You told me she was fine, Sam," I reminded him, trying to keep my voice level.

"She is fine, Jacob. Right now, Bella is perfectly safe and healthy," Sam told me forcefully.

I took a deep breath and released it, relaxing my shoulders. The shaking stopped and I was able to focus on Sam's words.

"I'm concerned about all these new developments. None of our legends told us of the abilities of the Omega. Or, rather, they gave us very limited information. Now, I talked to the Elders earlier this week to discuss the changes Bella is going through. They will meet with her tomorrow night and talk to her about the differences she's experiencing," Sam informed us.

"What are they going to do?" Seth asked, frowning in concern.

"They won't hurt her. They know that we wouldn't be able to just sit by and let it happen if they even tried. I will be in the meeting with her. The rest of you will be positioned around La Push," Sam instructed.

"Sam, I can't," I murmured.

"I know, Jake. I'm going to have you as close as possible, but the Elders were very specific that only I be allowed in the meeting with her. I'm sure she'll be able to keep herself open to you, though," Sam placated me.

I nodded, knowing that would be the best I'd get out of the arrangement.

"What are we going to do about her dreams?" Embry asked, leaning forward.

"They're getting worse. Do you think they could be like what happened with Leah?" I added.

"Possibly. It's another thing we'll have to talk to the Elders about. Bella hasn't said anything about them, correct?" Sam confirmed.

We all nodded.

"Maybe she's been waiting for a chance to meet with the Elders. She hasn't had much time to herself lately," Sam frowned.

"Speaking of that, are we done hanging around the bloodsuckers? The stench is really starting to get to me," Quil complained.

"I doubt it. Bella is determined to 'bring us all together'. She's not going to let us just back away," I smirked.

"Damn it, it's wrong. They're our enemies. How the hell does she expect us to be chill with them?" Paul grumbled.

"Try telling her that, Paul. See what she does to you," Jared warned.

Paul glared at him, but didn't comment. We all knew what Bella would do if any of us brought up the subject with her around. We were all quite fond of our balls, thank you very much!

"Look, man, we just gotta stick it out for a little while longer. Once this whole battle thing with the Volturi is over, everything will go back to normal," Embry said, smoothing things over.

"We have one last order of business to discuss and then I want you all out of my house," Sam demanded.

The mood changed back to serious and we all listened for what he had to say. He looked directly at me and started to speak.

"I realize that you and Bella will be taking your relationship to the next step this weekend. You need to be warned about what might happen when you do."

"Aw, hell, Sam! Jake knows the whole birds and bees bit! We don't all need to hear this!" Quil whined, shifting uncomfortably.

"Yes, you do. This involves all of you, especially those with imprints. Now, Jared and I have already gone through this, but the rest of you will need to know for the future. If this isn't done right, you could end up hurting your imprint," Sam warned us.

"Well, duh, Sam. Shit, the girl's a virgin. It's _supposed_ to hurt," Embry snorted, laughing slightly.

I reached over and slapped the idiot in the back of the head.

"Ow! Damn it, Jake!" Embry shouted, rubbing his head.

"Shut up and let Sam talk," I growled.

I turned to see Sam shaking his head at us.

"How will I hurt Bella?" I asked, nervous all of a sudden.

"When a wolf consummates the imprint, he has to mark her, claim her as his," Sam started.

"Dude, I don't think Bella will just sit there and let you piss on her," Quil laughed.

"Shut up, Quil! This is important!" Paul snapped.

Quil stopped laughing, but was still grinning like an idiot.

"The way a wolf marks his mate is by biting down on her neck during sex," Sam finished, glaring at Quil and Embry.

"Like a fucking leech!" Embry screeched.

I groaned and buried my head in my hands. My friends were a couple of grade A idiots. I wasn't sure why I had put up with them for so long.

"No, Embry. Damn it, will you two just shut up and listen? Shit, it's like dealing with five year olds!" Sam yelled, throwing up his hands in exasperation.

"So, what, Sam? I just bite her? Why?" I asked, frowning at the floor.

"It's the way of the wolf. Emily and Kim both have the marks. Both are in different places. It all depends on the wolf and his imprint on where and how the bite is given. It shows the commitment between the two," Sam explained.

"So, it's like marriage?" I tried to clarify.

"In a way, yes. Once your imprint has been marked, the bond can never be broken. So, I guess it's a little more permanent than marriage," Sam smiled.

"What if Bella doesn't want me to mark her?" I asked.

"Trust me, Jake. She'll want it," Jared assured me with a smirk.

"You won't be able to stop yourself, Jacob. I'm going to assume that while you've been with her, you've started paying more attention to her neck. You find yourself drawn to a certain area when you're being physical with her. And when you're focused on that area, her reaction is stronger," Sam rattled off.

Quil and Embry were snickering in the corner, but I ignored them, thinking back on the past few time Bella and I had come close to being physical. I had been paying more attention to her neck, to a spot just above her collar bone. I had tried not to linger on the area, though, because it was difficult for me not to bite her there.

Sam gave me a satisfied grin when he realized he was right.

"Are you sure she's going to be okay with this?" I asked.

"She's our Omega. Her reactions will probably be stronger because of her connection to the pack," Sam shrugged.

"Dude! You are one lucky son of a bitch!" Jared laughed.

I gave him a confused look as he slapped Paul on the back.

"When Jared bit Kim… let's just say I could hear it at my house," Paul grinned.

I'm sure my eyes were ready to fall out of my head they were so far open. Paul lived on the other side of the reservation than Jared. Granted Paul had his wolf hearing, but it was still impressive.

"Damn! And Bella's gonna be even better," Quil groaned, falling against his seat.

I growled at him, knowing exactly where his thoughts were.

"Okay, well, this has been one of the more awkward conversations of my life and I really hope to never have to hear about Jake marking Bella ever again. Can I go, now?" Seth pleaded.

In all honesty, I'd kind of forgotten the kid was even here. He was way too young to be hearing about this sort of stuff. I cursed Sam for the abuse I was going to get from Bella if it ever got back to her that Seth had been sitting in on this conversation.

"Go ahead, Seth. If you hear from Leah, let us know," Sam requested.

"Sure thing, Sam," Seth agreed, already halfway out the door.

"The rest of you, get out. Emily's not cooking today and I have no intention of feeding your sorry asses," Sam smirked.

I watched as the pack filed out to a chorus of complaints and grumbles. Sam grinned at me as soon as the door slammed shut behind them.

"You have any more questions?" Sam asked.

"Not really, but I'm not looking forward to going home. All I'll do is sit and worry about Bella," I admitted, slumping down in my seat.

"I know what you mean. When Em and I first started, I'd have trouble letting her go the grocery store alone. And Em didn't have a royal vampire army after her or attract danger everywhere she went," Sam chuckled.

"You don't think anything will happen to her, do you?" I asked in a soft voice, looking at my hands.

I looked up to see Sam giving me a hard, thorough look. I shifted under his intense gaze and he grinned.

"No, Jacob. I don't think Leah would let anything happen to your girl. Right now, they're at some restaurant getting lunch. Leah's been running interference all morning to keep the pixie from going overboard," Sam informed me.

"How do you know that?" I questioned.

"Bella has been checking in all morning. She doesn't want anyone to worry. She was told not to speak with you until they had arrived back," Sam answered, grinning like a fool.

"What the hell? That demented pixie needs to learn not to make demands on imprints," I grumbled.

"Really, Jake, I think you'll be glad she wants you to wait. It'll be worth it," Sam assured me.

I glared at him, trying to decipher how he meant that.

"You checking out my girl, Uley? Cause if you are, I won't have any problem taking your Alpha ass out," I threatened casually.

"I'd like to see you try, Black. But, no, I was not checking out your girl. I simply saw a few of her purchases," Sam smirked.

I seriously debated tackling him, but figured Emily would tell Bella who would have my ass if I ruined any of the furniture.

"You're lucky Bella and Emily are so close," I told him.

Sam stood up and gave me a look.

"Sure, Jacob. It's okay to admit you're afraid to go up against the Alpha," Sam grinned, walking out of the room.

I rolled my eyes, not interested in having a pissing match over the Alpha position. We both knew I would take it one day. For right now, Sam was doing a good job at running the pack. I wouldn't mind letting him keep control for a few more years.

I knew it would still be awhile before Bella got back, so I kicked up my feet and settled in to watch some TV while I waited.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

"Oh my, God! I seriously think she was trying to kill us," I groaned as I stumbled into the house.

"Demented little pixie," Leah grumbled, following me into the house.

"Hey, Bella? Next time you decide to invite me to go shopping with all of you, don't," Angela requested, flopping onto the sofa.

It had taken all three of us to convince Alice to let up and allow us to come back home after hours of shopping. I knew my feet were killing me, so I can only imagine how much Angela must be hurting right now. Neither one of us was used to so much physical exercise. Leah didn't seem to be bothered too much, except for the fact that she had spent all day with a vampire.

"No worries, Ang. I don't think I'll be going shopping again for a long time," I assured her, sitting down next to her.

"Thank God!" Leah shouted, falling to the floor.

Angela groaned and looked at her watch.

"Crap. I have to head home. My parents are going out tonight and I have to watch the twins," Angela complained.

"No big, Ang. Me and Bella are about to head to La Push, anyway. She hasn't seen her Jakey-boy in almost twenty-four hours," Leah snickered.

"Shut up, Leah," I mumbled, kicking at her.

Leah just laughed and rolled away from my foot. Angela shook her head at us and stood up, stretching as she did so.

"I'll see you Monday, Bella. And I'll see you… at some later date, Leah," Angela decided.

"Yeah. I'm looking forward to it," Leah agreed sarcastically.

Angela laughed and waved on her way out the door. As soon as we heard her car pull out of the driveway, Leah was standing and pulling me to my feet.

"Come on, wolf-girl. I was given direct orders to have you at Jake's house as soon as I was able. Let's get a move on," Leah instructed, ushering me out the door.

I let her lead me to the truck and climbed inside. She closed the door and smiled.

"Now, drive straight to Jake's. I'll be running along beside you. I've got to check in with Sam and the others. Have fun, tonight," Leah grinned, heading to the trees.

I rolled my eyes at her retreating figure before firing up the engine and backing out of the driveway.

True to her word, Leah ran right beside the truck the whole way to La Push. As soon as we crossed the border, I heard her howl and knew she was heading home. I waved out the window and continued on to Jake's.

The lights were on when I pulled into the driveway. As soon as I put the truck in park, Jake was there, opening my door.

"Bella," Jake murmured, pulling me into his arms.

I wrapped myself around him, clinging to his shirt and inhaling his scent. I hadn't realized how much I'd missed him while gone.

"I missed you," I sighed, snuggling into his embrace further.

"I missed you, too. It's been too long," Jake groaned, burying his face into my hair.

We stood there for a long time, just breathing each other in and allowing ourselves to relax. Jake was the one who pulled away first, giving me a smile that did funny things to my insides.

"Come on. I've had dinner waiting for you," Jake said.

He reached into the truck and pulled out my overnight bag before leading me to the house.

"You cooked?" I asked, surprised.

"God, no! I don't want to kill you," Jake laughed.

"Then what are we having for dinner?" I asked, smiling up at him.

"I ordered pizza. I figured you wouldn't want to cook after being tortured all day by the demon pixie, so pizza was the best bet," Jake shrugged.

"I love you," I hummed.

"I know," Jake chuckled, kissing my forehead.

He opened the door for me, ushering me inside. I stopped and looked around the living room in surprise.

There was a bed of blankets and pillows on the floor in front of the TV. The coffee table had been moved against the far wall, away from the couch, leaving more room for the "bed". There were candles set up around the room, making the entire place feel warm and sensual. The place smelled like flowers and fresh rain.

I looked up at Jake, wondering why the living room was set up like this, only to find him gone.

"Jake?" I called.

"Bedroom. I'll be right back," Jake answered.

I sighed and shifted my feet, wondering what was going on. I knew that Jake was excited about being alone with me, but this was a little much for a night of movies and pizza. What was going through his head?

"Dinner is served, mi'lady," Jake murmured, right behind me.

I jumped and spun around to see him balancing two boxes of pizza and a bottle of soda. I giggled and took the soda from him.

"You've really gone over the top with this whole 'date' thing haven't you?" I asked, settling down on the blankets.

"Yeah, well, I want tonight to be special," Jake shrugged, taking his place beside me.

"Jake. I've told you. Just being with you is special enough for me," I smiled, leaning over to kiss him.

When I pulled away, his eyes were still closed and he had a small smile on his face. I giggled and he opened his eyes, grinning at me.

"So, dinner," I stated, sitting up and grabbing a box.

"And a movie," Jake grinned, reaching for the remote.

"Oh? What movie is it?" I asked, moving to lean against the couch.

"Um… I'm not entirely sure. Emily suggested it when I told her about tonight," Jake admitted.

I gave him a curious smile.

"Push play, then, and let's see," I urged.

Jake pointed the remote at the VCR and pressed play. We sped through the previews for new movies and movies coming into theaters. Jake pushed play as we saw railroad tracks appear on screen. The beginnings of "This Will Be" came on and I started to smile. Jake noticed and wrapped an arm around me. The title popped up on screen and I actually laughed.

"Jake. Do you realize that this is kinda a chick flick?" I asked, still laughing.

"Well, yeah. This is a date, Bells. I figured that's what we're supposed to watch," Jake frowned.

"Jake! This is you and me. Why would we watch _While You Were Sleeping_? We're more of a _Dawn of the Dead _or _The Exorcist_ kinda date people," I reminded him.

"You told me that wasn't a date. We were with Newton. Besides, dates are supposed to be romantic," Jake argued.

"Not all dates are romantic. Some are fun," I pointed out.

"So, you don't want me to be romantic?" Jake asked.

I was prepared to come back with another comment, but stopped when I saw his face. He wasn't looking at me, but I could still tell he was upset by my easy brush off of him being romantic. I bit my lip and moved to straddle his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck.

He was still watching the TV, his arms at his side.

I leaned in a kissed his cheekbone, then the other.

"I love that you want to be romantic," I started.

I moved my lips to his neck, nipping at the sensitive skin. His head fell back just a little, encouraging me.

"I just want you to know, it's not necessary," I continued.

His hands ghosted over my ankles to my calves, working their way up to my hips.

"I've always thought of you as romantic. It's in the little things you do for me," I breathed.

My lips were at his ear, now, and I took the lobe between my teeth, giving it a gentle tug. He groaned and bucked against me. I gasped as I felt his erection rubbing against my heated center.

"It's in the way you stopped us from going to far our first night," I murmured.

I began going back down to just above his collarbone. I sucked the skin into my mouth, attempting to leave a mark. I felt a pool of wetness gather in my underwear at his growl. He moved me against him again and I bit down on his skin.

"It's in the way you always pull me close in front of the guys," I whispered.

I placed a trail of bites and kisses to just under his jaw. His head was completely against the couch at this point. His breathing was irregular, coming in short gasps. I licked the underside of his jaw, moaning as the salty taste of his skin.

"It's in the way you protect me with you own body when you think I'm in danger," I purred.

"Bella, please," Jake begged, his voice husky.

"Please what?" I asked, moving to the opposite ear.

"Stop talking and kiss me," Jake groaned.

I smiled and brought my lips to his, barely touching.

"But I like tasting your skin," I told him.

Our lips brushed as I spoke and I felt him twitch between my legs. The feeling caused another rush of desire to go through me. I moved my hips against his, seeking some form of release from the pressure building inside of me.

"Bella," Jake panted, his face a mix of pleasure and pain.

"God, Jake. You make me crazy. Please, don't say no tonight. I need you," I pleaded, dragging my fingers through his hair.

Before I knew it, Jake had me pinned beneath him on the floor.

"I have to kiss you," Jake growled before slamming his lips to mine.

I moaned, fisting my fingers in his hair. His tongue shoved past the barrier of my lips, straight in my mouth, seeking my tongue. One of his hands was gripping my hip as our lower halves continued to move against each other. The other was slipping beneath my shirt, skimming across my overheated skin.

Jake broke the kiss when we both needed to breath, but didn't take his lips off me. He returned the same treatment I had given him, going down to suck on my neck. His tongue pressed against the skin between his teeth and I struggled to hold back a scream at the incredible feel of it.

"Oh, God, Jake. Please," I panted, tugging at his hair.

All I got in response was a feral growl as his grip tightened on me. I cried out as his hand cupped my breast, squeezing the nipple between his fingers. My hands moved from his hair to the bottom of my shirt, pulling it up. Jake's other hand left my hip and eagerly helped me.

"So beautiful," Jake murmured when the shirt was off and thrown across the room.

"Mmm. So gorgeous," I hummed, running my hands across his chest.

I'd never loved the fact that he didn't wear a shirt more than I did in that moment. His perfectly muscles body actually made my mouth water. I wanted to lick every inch of that russet colored skin.

I moved my mouth close to his chest and did just that. He hissed as my tongue raked across his pectoral muscles and circled his right nipple. I fastened my mouth around the small bud and sucked.

I was so caught up in tasting Jake that I didn't notice that he had pulled my jeans off until his hands slipped inside my underwear.

"Damn, Bella. So wet," Jake groaned.

I released his skin and fell back against the blankets as Jake's fingers played me like a violin. I could feel the pressure increasing and knew I was close. My breathing picked up as Jake ripped my bra off. His mouth fastened on one of my nipples. I screamed as he bit down on the bud, causing me to clench around his fingers and see spots behind my eyes.

Jake slowly brought me down from the high, gently kissing his way back to my lips, as I struggled to regain my breathing.

"You are so beautiful, Bella. I need you, honey. No holding back tonight," Jake whispered.

"Yes," I gasped, attacking his lips.

Jake moaned as I sucked his tongue into my mouth. His hands moved to pull my underwear off as mine flew to his shorts. Finally, we were skin on skin.

"Please tell me you have something," I pleaded, kissing my way to his shoulder.

"Of course. I've been waiting for this. You think I'd come unprepared?" Jake teased.

"Hurry," I breathed, biting his ear.

He growled in response, reaching for his shorts pocket. I sighed when I heard the ripping of wrapper, knowing we were almost there.

"Bella, honey, look at me," Jake ordered.

I did and I saw his dark brown eyes staring back into mine. We were both panting as he positioned himself over my entrance.

"You have to tell me if I hurt you," Jake insisted.

I nodded, keeping my eyes on his. It finally came home what we were about to do. I was about to lose my virginity to this man. He would have every part of me. No one would ever know me the same way he would. The thought sent a little thrill through me.

He lowered his lips to mine, maintaining eye contact as he brought me close to the edge again. His hands returned to my lower lips, dipping inside of me, preparing me for him. I moved against his hand, nipping at his bottom lip as his thumb rubbed against my clit.

"Please, Jake. Oh, God. Please," I panted.

Jake pulled his fingers out, placing himself at my entrance. He lowered his lips to my neck, his hot breath sending shivers throughout my body.

"I love you," Jake whispered, kissing just above my collarbone.

Before I could repeat the words, he plunged inside of me, biting down on my neck. I screamed out as I felt his teeth break skin and his entire length filled me completely. Jake growled and began moving his hips against mine. I immediately fell into rhythm with him, gasping at the pleasure shooting through my limbs.

"Oh, God, Jake. Oh. Please, Jake. Oh, God."

I didn't know what I was saying. All I knew was that I needed more. Jake's teeth dug further into my skin as his hands grabbed my butt and lifted me, plunging in at a whole new angle. He was reaching so much further and I could feel myself coming closer to the edge.

Jake was growling against my skin, sucking on the wound he had created. When I felt his tongue press against the opening, I exploded, screaming out his name. Jake threw back his head and howled as he followed right after me.

Jake fell on top of me, both of us breathing heavily.

"Holy shit," Jake gasped.

"Yeah, no kidding," I huffed, smiling.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" Jake asked, pushing himself up on his elbows to look at me.

His fingers brushed over the place where he had bit me. A possessive look came over his face and I realized what had happened.

"You marked me," I stated.

Jake's eyes darkened and his chest rumbled.

"You're mine," Jake growled.

"I always have been," I murmured, kissing his neck.

"That wasn't what I was talking about, though," Jake said, bringing us back on topic.

I frowned a little, trying to think about what he was saying.

"You were a virgin, honey. Did I hurt you?" Jake asked, explaining it.

My eyes widened as I realized it hadn't hurt at all. There hadn't even been a slight twinge of pain. But then, he was made for me. And I was made for him. It made sense that we would fit together so easily.

"No. I didn't feel anything but pleasure," I breathed, looking into his eyes.

His face broke out into a cocky smile and he lowered his lips to mine. I bit his lower lip and tugged gently, causing him to groan. I smiled when I felt him hardening inside of me again.

"Up for round two?" Jake asked, nipping at my mark.

I shivered and threaded my fingers through his hair.

"That depends. How many condoms do you have?"

* * *

**Okay, you guys. This chapter was really hard to write. I'm not used to writing sex scenes in the first person. So, go easy on me? But tell me what worked and what didn't. That way I'll be able to do better next time.**

**I hope you enjoyed it!! Now, I'm going to eat some chocolate, because, let's face it, my mind has been picturing Jacob Black naked for the past hour!! I need something!! Hahaha!**

**See you guys next chapter!!**


	25. Chapter 25: Turn Me On

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight. The scene with Bella at the Cullen's belongs to animelover0001. And the whole Jake getting turned on belongs to, I believe, Augustmoon99 (I'm sure if I'm wrong, she'll correct me).

Chapter Twenty-Five

**Jake's POV**

I loved watching my girl sleep. Of course, I loved watching her when she was awake, too. There was a peacefulness and mystery, though, that Bella only had when she was asleep. When she was awake, her eyes always gave her away. In sleep, her thoughts were completely hidden from me. Unless, of course, she started talking.

She had been pretty quiet tonight. I smirked in smug satisfaction at having worn her out so thoroughly. Twelve times in one night was a lot. Especially for virgins. I figured she'd be pretty sore when she woke up.

Last night had been the best night of my entire life. I had been worried that Bella would be upset about the marking. I should've known, though. She had surprised me with her easy acceptance.

Which was a good thing. Once I'd started, something had come over me and I hadn't been able to stop. The wolf inside of me had come out in full force, demanding that I mark Bella as my own. Even if I had wanted to stop, I wouldn't have been able to. She certainly wasn't complaining.

I chuckled a little at that. Her scream when I'd bitten her had likely traveled through all of La Push. The guys would probably give her hell for a few days, but I couldn't find it in me to feel anything other than elation. She was _mine_. And now, everyone would know it.

I glanced over at the clock, noticing it was almost three in the afternoon. We hadn't fallen asleep until about seven this morning, so it wasn't surprising that she was still asleep. Still, I needed to wake her up for the meeting with the Elders later.

I placed my hand on the small of her back, my thumb rubbing against her side as I moved my lips to the back of her shoulder. She smiled slightly and I heard the change in her breathing.

"Wake up, sleepy head," I murmured, brushing my lips up her neck.

"Don't wanna," Bella mumbled, snuggling into my pillow.

I chuckled and wrapped my arms around her waist. With one swift jerk, I flipped her onto her back. She huffed and glared up at me. I couldn't help but grin in return.

"You have a meeting with the Elders in two hours. You've slept the entire day away," I informed her.

"What? Why would you let me sleep in so late?" Bella asked, showing the cover off of her.

"Well, it's not like we got much sleep last night," I grinned, enjoying the view.

Bella glared over her shoulder at me as she walked around the room, collecting her dirty clothes. She shoved them into her overnight bag, pulling out clean clothes in the process.

"I'm going to shower. Make yourself useful and clean up," Bella instructed, walking out of the room.

"Or I could shower with you," I offered, following her.

"Sorry, honey, but I need a break," Bella smiled, closing the door in my face.

"That's not what you were saying last night," I called through the door.

"Really, Jake? I'm already going to have to hear that line from all your pack brothers. Are you seriously going to start on it now?" Bella asked.

I heard the water start in the shower and knew the conversation was over. I had to try one more time, though.

"Well, you weren't!" I whined, resisting the urge to stamp my foot.

I smiled when I heard her laugh and knew she was probably shaking her head at me.

"Go clean up, wolf-boy. Maybe if you're good, I'll give you a treat later," Bella teased.

"Promise?" I asked, my voice lowering seductively.

"I said 'maybe'. Now, go away and let me shower in peace," Bella ordered.

I heard the shower curtain move and knew she wasn't going to listen to anything else I had to say. My girl was stubborn and loved to prove it to me.

I walked back towards the living room, preparing to clean up the mess we'd made last night. The TV was still broadcasting snow. I was almost upset we didn't get a chance to watch the movie. Emily had assured me it was a good one. But, then, Bella was right. We weren't exactly chick-flick people.

I started tidying up the room for when my dad and Charlie came back. It took me less time to clean the room then it did for her to get out of the shower, giving me time to think about the Elders' meeting tonight.

I didn't like anything that had to do with the Elders and my Bella. I didn't trust her with any of them, except my dad. Old Quil and Harry were always giving her weird looks, as if they didn't trust her and thought she was going to go running through Forks, screaming out our secret.

Normally I'd be better at handling the meeting, but I wouldn't be able to stay with her this time. Only Sam was allowed inside and that made me even more nervous. If they thought Bella was becoming a threat, there was no way I'd be able to get in there fast enough to stop them from hurting her.

I groaned and fell down onto the couch, my head in my hands. If anything happened to Bella, I wouldn't be able to go on. She was my everything. Without her, I couldn't exist.

The soft sounds of her footsteps as she came into the living room helped ease the vise that had formed around my heart. She sat down beside me and ran her fingers through my hair, helping to calm me down further.

"You don't have to worry about tonight. Everything will be fine," Bella whispered, resting her chin on my shoulder.

"How do you know? They could have decided that you're too much of a threat to La Push and do something stupid," I mumbled to the ground.

"I highly doubt that's what the meeting is about, but if that happens, we'll deal with it. They can't break the bond between Sam and I; only we can. And they can't break the bond between me and you; it's impossible," Bella reassured me.

I sat up and looked at her, one of my hands instantly going to wrap around her waist, the other, cupping her cheek. Her big brown eyes held my own as I struggled to find the right thing to say.

Before I could, Bella leaned forward and pressed her lips against mine. I groaned and shifted her until she was straddling my waist. Her arms wrapped around my neck, both hands going to my hair. I licked the seam of her lips, slipping my tongue inside as soon as she opened her mouth.

She broke away, gasping for breath and I moved my lips to my mark above her collar bone.

"Jake," Bella moaned.

I growled softly against her skin, moving her hips against my now straining erection.

"No more, honey. I'm sore," Bella sighed.

I groaned, my head falling back against the couch. Bella gave me a small smile and ran her fingers through my hair.

"Now, we have to get going. The meeting is going to be starting soon and Sam wants to position you guys around the building, but close enough to interfere if anything goes wrong," Bella murmured, searching my face.

I frowned, not liking the idea of something going wrong.

"I don't like you going in there by yourself," I told her.

"I won't be by myself. Sam will be with me and you'll be right outside the door," Bella smiled, giving me a quick peck.

"I'd rather be in Sam's place," I grumbled.

"Take over the Alpha position and you can be," Bella smirked.

"You know I don't want that," I sighed.

"I know. I'm just saying. You can't complain because Sam has priority in these meetings unless you're willing to do something about it," Bella warned.

"Fine," I pouted, crossing my arms.

Bella laughed and climbed off my lap. She walked towards the door, not bothering to see if I was coming or not.

I sighed and stood up, following her out the door. The door slammed shut behind me and Bella turned around, smiling at me.

"Decided to come with me?" Bella asked innocently.

As if there was ever any doubt.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I tried not to shift my feet as I stood before the Elders. I really didn't like these meetings and it was made worse by the fact that I knew the pack didn't like them either. Sam had them positioned around La Push to make sure the attack didn't happen while the meeting was going on. They had argued through the entire assignments. Sam had finally issued an Alpha command and none of them had been able to do anything about it.

I hoped we wouldn't be much longer. I was getting anxious and eager to get back to Jake. We had already gone over all the differences between me and the last Omega. Now, they were moving on to my dreams.

"Tell us about the dreams you've been having, Omega," Harry frowned.

"They're similar to the dream I had about Leah. I can't explain it very well, but it's a feeling I have," I started, glancing at Sam.

He gave me a tentative smile and nodded for me to continue. I took a deep breath before facing the Elders.

"The last one was the worse. I actually spoke to the Volturi's Omega. He kept saying we need to be ready, but wouldn't tell me when they were going to come. I saw all the fighting, but none of it touched me. Which makes me wonder if it's just a dream or a premonition or warning or if they're just messing with my head," I trailed off, confused and frustrated.

The Elders looked at each other, silently communicating. I glanced at Sam out of the corner of my eye, but he was watching the Elders, his face a hard mask. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not, but it didn't help my nerves.

The Elders turned back to me as one and I stood up a little straighter.

"Omega, tell us. When you were witnessing the fight, was there a fog around you or was it as if you were actually there?" Old Quil asked.

"It was like I was there, just no one was fighting me or the other Omega," I answered, biting my lip.

The Elders shared another look.

"We believe these dreams are premonitions. The battle must be drawing near. You must be ready for it," Billy insisted.

"Are you certain this isn't a trick being played on us by the Volturi? That they aren't trying to distract us with Bella's dreams only to attack later?" Sam asked.

I looked from him to the Elders, shifting nervously.

"We don't believe so. This seems to be the Volturi's Omega contacting ours in warning. If anything changes in the dream, you will inform us," Harry instructed.

Sam and I both nodded.

"Good. Now, do you have any questions?" Old Quil asked.

"No," Sam and I answered.

"Then you are free to go. But, Omega, be warned. These dreams could turn into something much more dangerous. You must not give the Volturi's Omega any knowledge to use against us," Old Quil cautioned.

"Of course. Thank you," I nodded.

Sam took hold of my arm and pulled me from the meeting hall. As soon as we were outside, I sighed in relief.

"That was not fun," I muttered.

"You can say that again," Sam chuckled darkly.

"Do you think they're right? That my dreams are premonitions?" I questioned.

"I don't know. They'd be the best people to say and they said yes. I don't see any reason to doubt them," Sam shrugged, walking towards his house.

"Are you going to call the pack?" I asked.

"Yes. Just as soon as we get back," Sam agreed.

I nodded and continued with him to his house. Emily was baking when we walked in, her face scowling at the bowl in her hands. She looked up when she heard us and ran forward to hug me.

"Oh, Bella! I'm so glad you're back. I need your help," Emily huffed, pulling me behind her.

"What's wrong?" I asked, frowning.

"The batter doesn't look right. What do you think I did wrong?" Emily asked, hands on her hips.

I looked into the bowl and couldn't hold back my laugh. Emily had apparently tried to make my grandmother's chocolate pie filling, but it didn't look right at all.

"What did you put in here?" I laughed.

"Exactly what you wrote! Only, I substituted sugar with Splenda. It's healthier," Emily sulked.

"Well, that's why. You can't substitute Splenda. It'll come out all wrong. This pie isn't meant to be healthy," I grinned.

Emily continued scowling at the bowl. Without warning, she scooped it up and walked to the back door. I heard the screen being opened and someone yell out in protest.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, Jake!" Emily cried, dropping the bowl.

Curious, I walked towards the back door and stopped when I saw Jake standing outside on the back porch. I doubled over in laughter as he glared at me, every inch of him covered in chocolate pie filling.

"You think this is funny, Swan? Just be glad that Emily won't let me in the house like this," Jake threatened.

"Oh, honey, I'm sorry. But you should see yourself," I gasped, smiling at him.

He returned my smile with a grin of his own and shook his head at me.

"Em, where's the hose?" Jake asked.

"Around the side of the porch. I moved it after the incident with Leah, Sam, and Bella," Emily informed him.

"Want to come help me, Bells?" Jake smirked, raising an eyebrow.

"Sure," I agreed, walking outside.

He grinned and pulled me against him. I laughed as he transferred as much chocolate on me as he could.

"Walked right into that one, honey," Jake laughed.

"I did it on purpose. I wanted a chance to do this," I grinned, leaning in to lick his neck.

He groaned and grasped me tighter to him.

"Mmm. Yummy," I hummed.

"Really?" Jake asked.

I nodded and offered my own neck. He leaned down and licked the chocolate off, lingering over his mark.

"Mmm. You're right," Jake murmured, brushing his lips against mine.

"Go hose off! We've got a meeting to get to," Sam ordered through the door.

I jumped and spun around to face him. I hadn't even realized he was back. He smirked at me and Jake, shaking his head slightly.

"Pups," Sam muttered, turning around.

Emily giggled and followed him into the house.

"Come on, honey. Let's get cleaned up," Jake sighed, pulling me towards the hose.

"Ugh! It's gonna be cold," I pouted.

"Don't worry. I'll warm you up," Jake assured me huskily.

I shivered at his tone and the thought of the cold water. He wrapped an arm around my waist and turned on the hose with his other hand. I gasped as the cold water rained down on us from above, one of his hands holding it well over my head. I washed off as quickly as possible before darting out from under the stream. Emily was standing on the back porch with towels for us both.

"Th-thank y-you," I stuttered, wrapping one of the warm towels around my body.

"Oh, Bella, you're freezing. Maybe you should go take a quick shower to warm you up," Emily suggested, frowning.

"N-no. I'm g-good. Just n-need n-new clothes," I assured her brokenly.

"Well, come in with me and I'll find something for you," Emily insisted, waving me into the house.

I heard Jake groan and turned to see him toweling off his hair. He was wrinkling his nose at Emily's offer.

"What's the matter with you, Jake?" Emily glared over her shoulder, pushing me ahead of her.

"No offense, Em. I just like the way Bella smells and your clothes hide it," Jake sighed, walking into the house behind us.

"Would you rather her freeze?" Emily snapped.

"Of course not," Jake mumbled, staring at his feet.

I smiled and pressed my cold lips against his hot cheek. He jumped at the feel, his eyes darting to mine.

"I l-like that y-you l-like my s-smell," I murmured.

Jake grinned and buried his face into my neck, breathing hot air over my cool skin. I shivered, closed my eyes, and leaned into his warmth.

"Maybe I can warm her up better than dry clothes," Jake grinned suggestively.

"No. Dry clothes first, cuddling second," Emily commanded.

I smiled back at him as Emily pulled me into her and Sam's room. She quickly started rifling through drawers for clothes that would fit me.

"I swear; those boys get worse and worse. Only one thing on their mind," Emily clicked, handing me a t-shirt and jeans.

"Thanks, Em," I shivered.

"No problem. It's my fault, after all. Now, you get changed so your man doesn't have a panic attack waiting for you," Emily winked, closing the door behind her.

I laughed softly as I dropped the towel and quickly discarded my wet clothes for Emily's dry ones. I opened the door to see Jake leaning against the wall, waiting for me. He grinned at me as I walked into the hallway.

"You ready for this meeting?" I asked softly.

"I kind of have to be, don't I?" Jake chuckled.

I gave him a quick wink as I led the way towards the living room where the rest of the pack was already situated. We took our usual seats as Sam started speaking.

"The Elders believe that Bella's dreams are more than just dreams. They believe the dreams are prophetic of the upcoming battle with the Volturi. However, we are still going to be cautious. The dreams could be the Volturi's Omega attempting to trick us all and attack when we are unsuspecting," Sam informed everyone.

Everyone nodded, their expressions serious.

"If any of you notice Bella acting out of character, you must come to me immediately. If you are near her while she is dreaming and something seems off, you are to bring her to La Push and contact me," Sam continued.

"What do you mean 'acting out of character'? Are these leeches going to start controlling her?" Seth asked, casting a worried look my way.

"Of course not, sweetheart. All Sam is saying is that I might start acting a little off if the dreams change. If I do, he needs to be aware of it," I soothed, giving him a small smile.

"Although, we shouldn't rule out the possibility of you becoming a puppet to them," Sam frowned.

I glared at him, silently communicating that we didn't need to have this conversation in front of the others.

"They're going to hear about it anyway," Sam shrugged.

"Yes, but they shouldn't until we can assure them that it won't be an issue," I scolded.

"That might not be the case. It could very well be something to worry about," Sam pointed out.

"It doesn't matter now. We all know and we'll all be able to keep an eye out for it. Now, stop fighting. You two are worse than an old married couple," Leah snorted.

"EW!" I shuddered, leaning away from Sam.

The entire pack saw fit to laugh at my reaction and the tension was erased from the room. Jake was grinning as he nuzzled into my neck, trying not to laugh as well.

"Alright, alright. Settle down. So, we know the possibilities. Anyway, it's not likely that it'll happen. I really think this is just a warning," I said.

"Still, we need to be on our toes. Just as a precaution," Sam insisted.

"Fine. I'll give you that," I agreed.

"Good. Now, it's been a long day. Everyone head out. Quil, Jared, you're on patrol," Sam ordered, standing up.

Jake and I walked outside, holding hands, as the pack dispersed. Embry came up beside Jake, clapping him on the shoulder.

"So, what were you two up to last night?" Embry drawled out, grinning.

"None of your business," Jake answered simply.

"Should've thought of that before you had her screaming loud enough that all of La Push heard it. I mean, seriously, Jake. People thought there was a murder going on, or something," Embry informed him in a loud whisper,

I felt the blush tinge my cheeks and reached over to smack Embry in the back of the head.

"Ow! Hey, watch it, Bella. I need all the brain cells I can get," Embry pouted.

"Damn right, you do! Stop talking about my sex life," I glared.

Jake laughed, pulling me closer to his side. I felt his lips brush against the top of my head, but ignored him to continue glaring at a smirking Embry.

"I can't help it, Bells. You guys are just _too cute_!" Embry squealed.

I snorted and struggled against laughing. Jake let out his bark like laugh and shook his head at his friend.

"Seriously, Em. You sound like a chick," I told him.

Embry placed his hand over his heart in a wounded fashion.

"Cut me deep, there, Bella. Now, be a good girl like Jake taught you and kiss it better," Embry requested.

Jake growled and reached out to smack Embry for me, but he dodged at the last minute.

"I was kidding, Jake. Jeeze, chill out," Embry laughed.

"You just make sure to stay away from my girl's lips, Call. Otherwise, your face is gonna have a meeting with my fist," Jake threatened.

Embry continued laughing as we walked into Jake's house. Billy was watching TV in the living room when we walked in. He looked up and nodded as a way of greeting. Jake led me over to the couch and we plopped onto the cushions while Embry took the arm chair. I settled under Jake's arm and smiled at Billy.

"Hey, dad. How was fishing?" Jake asked.

"Pretty good. The fish are in the freezer. We've got enough to last for another month, at least," Billy answered.

"How'd Charlie do?" I asked warily.

"Better than me," Billy chuckled.

I groaned and let my head fall against the back of the couch.

"Looks like I'll be looking up fish recipes for a while," I grumbled.

"Hey. You know I'll always come over and help you get rid of some," Jake grinned.

"I know," I smiled at him.

He gave me a wink, his arm tightening around my shoulders. I sighed silently as he placed a kiss on my temple, my eyes fluttering close at the simple contact.

"How's studying going, Jake?" Billy asked at a commercial.

"I'll be ready. Sam, Paul, and Jared have been helping me during patrols," Jake answered.

"Are you talking about the GED test? When is it?" I asked.

"Yeah. It's this weekend," Jake grinned.

"Oh my gosh! That's so exciting!" I squealed, throwing my arms around him.

Jake laughed as I began bouncing on the couch. Embry and Billy watched us with knowing smiles. I leaned back enough to press my lips against Jake's, giving him a passionate kiss. I had absolute faith that the coming weekend was going to go exactly according to plan.

* * *

"I don't want to!" I whined, stomping my foot.

Alice had her arms crossed in front of her chest, glaring at me. Leah was lying on the bed, laughing outrageously. I glared over at her, but she was too busy laughing to actually pay attention.

"I don't care what you want to do. I'm telling you that you are going to be staying here tonight. Without Jacob Black hovering in the corners, waiting for someone to drink from you," Alice insisted firmly.

"Don't even go there, Alice," I warned.

"Oh, hush. You know it would never happen," Alice waved off.

"How did you even convince Jake to this, anyway?" I asked suspiciously.

"That was the easy part. All I had to do was enlist Leah's help and he was more than happy to agree," Alice smiled.

"Really? That doesn't sound like Jake," I questioned slowly.

"Okay, so maybe a little coercion was involved. Nothing to worry your little head over. It's done and you are staying here tonight," Alice answered, ending the conversation.

I frowned and slumped against the wall, glaring at the floor by Alice's feet. It wasn't so much the fact that I would be spending the night with Alice and Leah at the Cullen's house. It was more the fact that Jake wouldn't be here. We had so little time left before the battle and no one knew how this would turn out. From my dreams, it looked to be a blood bath. I was terrified of losing him. Of losing part of my pack.

Spending any amount of time away from him and La Push was difficult. The only reason I was even with Alice at the moment was due to the fact that Jake was taking his GED test. Now, to know I wouldn't be able to spend the night in his arms was painful.

And then on top of that, there were the dreams. They weren't getting any better. Most nights, I woke up screaming my lungs out. Jake was the only one who could calm me down. Without him here, the nightmare would follow me into my waking world.

"Alice, Jake needs to be here. He doesn't have to be with me, but I need him in the house," I tried to persuade her.

"No. If something happens, we'll send for him. Tonight, you are mine," Alice grinned maniacally.

I groaned and thumped my head against the wall, glaring at the ceiling.

"Don't be like that, Bella. This is going to be fun," Alice pouted.

"Sure. Playing Bella Barbie is always fun," I muttered sarcastically.

"I knew you liked it!" Alice laughed, clapping her hands.

She raced into her closet before I could stop her.

"Alice! I was kidding!" I whined.

"Are you saying you lied?" Alice gasped.

"Yes," I agreed.

"Bella. How could you?" Alice asked, completely scandalized.

"Come off it, leech. Bella hates your clothes," Leah snorted, flipping through a magazine.

"Shut it, mutt. Nobody asked your opinion," Alice glared.

I sighed heavily and allowed my body to slide down the wall until I hit the floor. I knew they weren't actually trying to insult each other, but it still bothered me when they called each other derogatory terms. Couldn't everyone just get along?

Alice came dancing out of the closet with an armful of clothes. She threw them on the bed, keeping a purple, ruffle, dress thing. Giving a silent sigh, I turned towards the mirror and raised my arms above my head. In just a few seconds my clothes were off and the purple dress was in their place.

"I knew it! I knew this would look fabulous on you! Well, I didn't _know_, but the color just works so well with your skin tone. Now, this blue one will really make your eyes pop. Before we do that, we need shoes for this one. Hmmm… maybe those black pop-toe heels…"

I tuned out Alice's voice, going to my "happy place" where there was no evil little pixie forcing me into frilly clothes and too-high heels.

Alice took over control of my body while my mind traveled to the night before. It had been the first night that Jake and I had had some time to ourselves. He had been positioned at my entrance, both of us completely ready, when Sam had called for the pack. Jake had screamed every explicit word he knew as he left to see what Sam needed. He hadn't returned until early this morning.

Needless to say, we had not finished what we'd started and had both left thoroughly frustrated.

As Alice put me in outfit after outfit, my mind drifted to all the things we could have been doing tonight if I wasn't being held captive by the evil pixie. A shudder worked its way through my body as Jake's words from last night came back as he fingered me.

"_I've wanted to fuck you all week. I want to hear you scream my name again as I pound my cock inside this tight little pussy of yours."_

My reaction had surprised us both as I came around his fingers. I had to shift a little on the stool as I felt the moisture flood between my legs.

"Bella! What are you doing?" Alice snapped.

My eyes flew open to see Alice glaring up at me. I felt the tell-tale blush rise up to my cheeks and cleared my throat slightly.

"Sorry, Alice. It's been a long week," I offered in way of explanation.

Alice stared at me with wide eyes. Leah snorted before busting out laughing. Alice blinked once before shaking her head.

"That, I did not need to know," Alice murmured, scrunching up her nose.

I laughed along with Leah as Alice forced me into yet another outfit.

* * *

**Jake's POV**

I sat in the classroom with a few other teens and young adults, taking my GED test. Glancing around the room, I noticed a pretty redhead eying me. When she saw me looking at her, she smiled, biting down on her pen cap.

I was shocked to feel a strong surge of lust shoot through me and my dick hardened instantly. I was overcome with images from last night. God, I had been so close to being inside Bella. I'd wanted to feel her tight heat around me all week.

Damn Sam to hell for calling last night!

He and Jared had picked up the trail of a new leech, but it had turned out to be nothing. Just a nomad vampire making his way through town. The Cullens had confirmed his story and we'd sent him on his way.

Still, that didn't account for why I was suddenly hard as a rock looking at the redhead. Bella was my imprint. There's no way in hell another woman should be able to affect me like this.

_What the fuck is going on?_

I had absolutely no doubt that if Bella was here I'd be fucking her in front of the entire room. My dick twitched at the thought and I had to choke back a moan. Damn it, I needed to get a hold of myself.

I glanced at the clock, praying time was almost up. My test was finished and I was simply waiting for the instructor to signal we were free to go.

I shifted in my seat, trying to ease some of the pressure in my jeans. I stared down the second hand on the clock, willing time to speed up. I needed to get home and talk to Sam about this.

"Alright, is everyone finished? Yes? Good. You're free to go," the instructor said, picking up a stack of papers.

I shot out of my seat and practically sprinted out the door. I made it to the Rabbit before I felt a hand on my arm. I spun around, instantly on the defense. The pretty redhead was standing there, blinking up at me.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. I just wanted to come over and introduce myself. My name's-"

I interrupted her before she could continue.

"I'm taken," I snapped.

She started, taking a step back at my tone. I almost felt bad for scaring her, but remembered what had happened in the classroom and changed my mind. The girl had done something to me that she shouldn't be able to do. Only Bella should be able to cause a sexual reaction out of me.

"I didn't realize," she murmured, backing further away.

I gave a curt nod and climbed into my car. Without looking at her, I slammed my door closed, started the engine, and drove towards La Push.

I prayed Sam had an answer to this problem.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

After four hours of Bella Barbie, Alice finally allowed me to change into my pajamas and we settled down to watch a few movies before bed. Leah had finally relaxed and we were able to joke around and have popcorn fights while watching the movies Alice had picked out.

As the last of the credits rolled by, I couldn't fight my yawns anymore. Alice noticed and chuckled.

"Bed for the human," Alice sang.

"Hmph. Shows how much you know. I'm not exactly human anymore, Alice," I scoffed.

"You're more human than I am, Bella," Alice countered.

My response was another yawn as Leah helped me to my feet. I stumbled slightly as she led my up the stairs, Alice bouncing behind us.

"So, you're set up in the guest bedrooms. Right beside each other. Leah, you're on the right. Bella's on the left," Alice instructed, indicating the doors.

I grumbled some form of an affirmative answer and shuffled into my room. I closed the door behind me and moved towards the bed. My knees hit the edge and I fell hard. The soft mattress rose up around me, cocooning me completely and I slipped into a deep sleep.

* * *

_The battle raged around me. The screams of pain were unmistakable. I watched as two of my wolves attacked one vampire, tearing it apart easily. The sound of bone breaking followed by a howl cut through my ears and I turned to see another wolf lying in the grass, blood staining its fur. _

"_Is this what you want to happen, Omega?" a sharp voice snapped._

_I turned my head and saw the Volturi's Omega watching me with narrowed eyes._

"_No," I whispered._

"_Then stop wasting time! It's running out. You have to be prepared," he insisted harshly._

"_I'm trying," I wailed._

"_Not hard enough. You entire pack will be eradicated if you don't do something. Your shield will only do so much. As soon as the Volturi discover that you cannot protect against a physical attack, they will not stop," he told me._

"_Tell me what to do," I pleaded, tears streaming down my face._

"_I cannot. You have to figure it out for yourself," he sighed, shaking his head._

"_Please. I can't let this happen," I sobbed._

"_Be ready," he said._

_I watched as he disappeared. The air was silent. I looked around and screamed in agony. The entire field was littered with my pack and the vampires who had tried to help us._

_All of them were dead._

* * *

**Alice's POV**

Jasper and I were spending some quality time together while Bella and Leah slept. He was nuzzling my neck, making me giggle, when we heard it.

The scream was pure agony and for a moment neither one of us moved.

"Bella," Jasper muttered.

I was instantly on my feet and running into her room, Jasper right behind me. Leah was already there, attempting to wake her. The rest of the family watched from the hallway with wide eyes as Bella screamed.

"DAMN IT, BELLA! WAKE UP!" Leah screamed, slapping her.

There was a collective growl at the move, but Leah ignored it, focused entirely on Bella.

Bella's eyes shock open, but she continued to scream, shaking all over. Leah shook her harder, yelling at Bella to stop. I moved forward and grabbed Leah's arm.

"Get Jacob," I said.

Leah nodded tersely before darting out of the room, already shaking.

Bella stopped screaming, but started crying. The sobs were heart wrenching and she started calling for Jacob. I bit my lip as I felt my throat constrict in tears I would never shed. Jasper was behind me, panting with the effort to calm her down. I frowned at my best friend, worried about what she was seeing with that blank stare of hers.

* * *

**Jake's POV**

My tires protested as I skidded to a stop in front of Sam's house. I threw open my door and ran into the house.

"SAM!" I shouted, searching him out.

Emily came around the corner from the bedroom, frowning in concern.

"Jake? What's wrong?" Emily asked softly.

"Where's Sam? I need to talk to him," I demanded, my breathing irregular.

"He's gone over to the Cullens. Bella was having another nightmare. Leah was able to wake her up, but she's not responding to anything or anyone," Emily explained.

I cursed under my breath and spun around, heading out the way I'd come. I jumped back into the Rabbit and turned it towards Forks. The whole way there, I was cursing the traffic and flat tire that had caused me to be so late getting home. I knew how bad her nightmares were. They had gradually gotten worse over the course of the week. I was now the only one who could calm her down after them. Not even Charlie was able to wake her up.

I slammed onto the brakes in front of the Cullen house. Sam was on the porch waiting for me.

"She hasn't stopped screaming since I got her and Leah tells me she's been screaming since before she woke her up. Carlisle was about to sedate her, but I figured you'd flip a lid if I let him do that without your consent," Sam informed me quickly as I pushed my way into the house.

"Where?" I growled, my nerves frayed.

"Follow me," Sam instructed.

He led the way upstairs and into what I assumed was a guest room. Bella was huddled in the corner of the bed, whimpering with tears falling down her cheeks. Her eyes were staring blankly at the wall as she rocked back and forth.

My heart clenched as I walked quickly to her side, pushing the hair out of her eyes.

"Bella? Honey, look at me," I murmured, stroking her cheek with my thumb.

She didn't respond.

"Bells, come on, honey. It's okay. You're safe. Everyone is safe. They're not here, sweetheart. Everything's okay," I breathed against her ear.

She shivered violently as I pressed soft kisses against her neck. I sighed in relief when I felt her small hands pressed against my shoulders. I tightened my arms around her waist, breathing in her unique scent. She continued shaking as I slowly ran my hands up and down her back.

"Jake?" Bella whimpered.

"Shh, honey. I'm here. You're safe," I assured her softly.

"It was horrible," Bella shuddered.

"Tell me what happened," I insisted.

"Everyone was dead. He said I wouldn't be able to save you guys. He-he said the Volturi were going to kill you all if we weren't ready. And-and then I saw it. It was awful," Bella sobbed, her tears soaking my shirt.

"It wasn't real, honey. Everyone's safe. No one's dead," I reassured her.

"Don't leave me," Bella sniffled.

"Of course not. Scoot over, honey," I smiled softly.

She did, allowing me enough room to lie down beside her. She pressed herself against me firmly. I wrapped my arms around her tightly, allowing her presence to calm my racing heart.

I looked up to see Sam and Leah talking quietly in the hallway.

"Sam?" I whispered.

He looked over at me, his expression questioning. My arms tightened around Bella instinctively.

"Something happened today. During my test," I started, unsure how to explain without it sounding too bad.

"What? Was it a vampire?" Sam asked, frowning as he came into the room, Leah right behind him.

"No. It was a girl," I scowled.

Bella stiffened in my arms and I rubbed her back, shushing her gently.

"What about this girl?" Sam prodded.

"I was looking around the room, since my test was finished, and when I glanced in her direction, she was already looking at me. As soon as she saw I was looking in her direction, she smiled and bit down on her pen cap. And, I reacted," I explained incredulously.

Sam's eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"What do you mean 'you reacted'?" Sam growled.

I glanced down at Bella to see her giving me a hurt look. I kissed her forehead and looked at her while I spoke.

"Physically, I reacted. And then thoughts of last night flooded my head. All I could think about was how much I wanted Bella to be there so I could have her on the desk in front of everyone. If she had been there, I don't think I would've been able to control myself," I admitted hesitantly.

Sam was quiet, contemplating what I'd told him. My attention was entirely on Bella. She was looking up at me in hurt confusion. I reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I didn't want her, honey. All I could think about was you and how much I wanted you. It nearly killed me that you weren't there," I told her hoarsely.

She bit her lip and nodded once, burying her face into my shoulder. I nuzzled into her hair, breathing deeply.

"It was my fault. I was thinking about last night and how much I wish we hadn't been interrupted. I… had difficulty containing myself," Bella mumbled, blushing.

I blinked at the wall behind her, trying to understand what she was saying.

"Are you telling me that you got turned on and it affected me?" I asked.

"I think so," Bella sighed.

"Sam? Is it possible?" I questioned, looking over at him.

"I suppose. I occasionally can feel when Emily is turned on. I'll ask Jared and see what he says about Kim. It's probably nothing to worry about, Jake," Sam shrugged.

"It's a good thing, too. If you'd been into that other girl, my fist would've been having an interesting conversation with your face," Leah threatened.

Bella smiled weakly at Leah.

"Dream on, Clearwater. Like you could actually take me. Besides, if that ever happened, you wouldn't have to worry about teaching me a lesson. I'd have already thrown myself at Bella's feet and given her a baseball bat to use against me," I assured her.

Bella giggled softly and placed a kiss over top my heart.

"Love you," Bella whispered.

"Love you, too," I replied, kissing her ear.

She giggled again and squirmed against me. I moaned softly as her movement cause my dick to harden. She stopped moving and looked up at me with wide eyes.

"We'll, ah, just be going," Sam choked.

Leah laughed and slapped his back as they walked out of the room, shutting the door behind them.

"I've missed you," I murmured, kissing her exposed neck.

"Jake. Not tonight. There are vampires," Bella gasped, arching against me.

"So?" I asked, nipping at my mark.

She groaned and pressed harder against me.

"They… can hear… us," Bella panted.

"Honey, all of La Push heard you a few nights ago. What's the difference?" I smirked, moving down to her breast, pushing her tank top out of the way as I went.

"The difference is that they will know it was me," Bella answered, pulling my face back up to hers.

"Honey, please. I need you," I begged, kissing the underside of her jaw.

"Tomorrow. I promise," Bella insisted.

I groaned and rolled off of her, staring at the ceiling. She snuggled against my side, hitching her leg up on mine and throwing an arm across my chest. One of my arms instantly went around her shoulders, the other hand playing with her fingers.

"You better make this up to me tomorrow, woman. Otherwise, the big bad wolf is going to make you pay," I growled playfully.

She shivered against me and kissed my chest. I bit back a groan at the feeling as all my muscles tightened.

"I promise, it'll be worth the wait," Bella smiled.

I gave a small huff before settling into the bed. Bella tightened her arms around me briefly. I rubbed my hand up and down her back slowly, hoping to get her to sleep faster. She remained awake, despite my efforts.

"Get some sleep, honey. I'll wake you if any nightmares show up," I promised, kissing the top of her head.

"How will you know?" Bella asked quietly.

"Are you kidding me? I'm the big bad wolf. I know everything," I scoffed.

She laughed lightly and shook her head at my antics. I smirked when I felt her body relax as she slipped into sleep.

"I love you," I mumbled as sleep took me under as well.

* * *

**I'M SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SORRY!! I know I've been absolutely awful about this update! It's because I'm trying to finish it up and it takes a while for me to finish a story. I'm really sorry! I'm going to try to finish the next chapter this week. I have nothing to do with my days, so it shouldn't be too hard. The big battle scene is coming up really soon. Probably within the next chapter or so. That'll help speed my updates up. Again, I'm really sorry.**

**By the way, if there were any typos in this chapter, I apologize. I'm not reading through it so you can get it sooner. I promise, I'll go back and read it later and fix any changes that need to be made. **

**Hope you enjoyed!**


	26. Chapter 26: They're Coming

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Twenty-Six

**Edward's POV**

I closed my eyes in an attempt to block out the mutt's impure thoughts about my beautiful Bella. My fists shook at the mental images he was creating, defining her in his mind.

_I had no idea her nightmares were so bad. Maybe there is something more we can do about the Volturi. Perhaps Sam has some ideas._

I ran my fingers through my hair at Carlisle's thoughts.

Bella's scream had worried everyone in the house. Despite the fact that Bella was now bonded to those vile creatures, everyone still considered her a part of our family. Unfortunately, Alice's vision had changed and Bella would no longer become my mate in the future. In fact, Bella's entire future was erased from Alice's visions.

"Edward?"

I looked up at the door to see Alice.

_Are you alright?_

"Fine, Alice. Is there something you needed?" I asked tiredly.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go hunting." _And get away from his thoughts._

I sighed, looking at the floor beneath my feet. Despite the fact that I loathed listening to the mutt's thoughts of my perfect Bella, it was the only way I'd be able to see her in that light. She didn't look at _him_ with reserved eyes. She didn't give _him_ tentative smiles. Regardless of the fact that she had forgiven me, she still didn't fully trust me.

"Edward?" Alice called.

"Sorry, Alice. I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline," I murmured, refusing to meet her eyes.

"Alright. Well, if you change your mind, Jazz and I are always willing to go with you," Alice assured me.

I nodded to show her I'd heard and understood.

As her footsteps disappeared down the hallway, I leaned back against my couch, staring at the ceiling. I closed my eyes and lost myself in the dreams of Jacob Black.

* * *

**Jake's POV**

I had decided there was nothing worse than sleeping in a house full of vampires. Not only were they huge cock-blockers, they reeked. Their smell was constantly seeping into my dreams, making it impossible to get a decent amount of sleep.

The only bright spot of my night was the girl sleeping curled up against my chest.

I smiled down at her as she snuggled further under the blankets. A strand of hair fell into her face as she moved and I reached down to brush it away. She sighed softly, turning into my hand. I leaned over to place a kiss on her cheekbone.

"Wake up, sleeping beauty," I whispered, brushing my lips against her ear.

"Mmm. Five more minutes," Bella moaned, burrowing into my chest.

"I think I've given you enough time to sleep. You belong to me today and I intend to collect my payment," I warned her.

She stretched and yawned, blinking up at me after. She fluffed her hair as she sat up, sleepily looking around the room.

"Payment?" Bella mumbled.

"Yes, payment. You promised me you would take care of a certain problem that has been begging for your attention all week," I reminded her.

She frowned, giving me a sleepy look.

"It's too early. Could you not be so cryptic?" Bella pouted.

I reached over for her hand and brought it to my straining erection. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head as her fingers wrapped around me. I bit back a groan as I leaned forward to nibble on her ear.

"Clear enough for you?" I asked, licking to outer shell of her ear.

She swallowed and nodded quickly. I smirked, moving my lips down her neck.

"N-not here, Jake," Bella stuttered.

"Then you better get your butt out of this bed and into mine in La Push. I'm not going all day without having you," I growled, squeezing her hip.

In the blink of an eye, Bella rolled away from me and onto her feet. I smiled as she went about getting her things together to change. I relaxed onto the bed as she hurried into the joining bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

I was jolted out of my contentment by the little pixie vampire running through the house.

"FAMILY MEETING!" Alice screamed as she ran by the door.

Bella threw the door to the bathroom open, her eyes wide as she looked at me.

"Don't look at me," I shrugged, getting off the bed.

"She must've had a vision. Come on, we need to go see what it was," Bella insisted, throwing her hair up into a pony tail.

I held out my hand as we walked towards the door. I couldn't hold back my smug grin when her hand slid into mine without her even looking. She led me out of the room and downstairs to the living room with the rest of the Cullens.

Alice was pacing back and forth across the room, her mate watching her with concern. Everyone else was waiting patiently for the news.

I sat down on the last armchair and settled Bella in my lap. Immediately, she snuggled her back against my chest and brought my arms around her waist. I buried my face into her hair, breathing deeply of her strawberry scent.

"What happened, Alice?" Carlisle asked, bringing everyone's attention to the matter at hand.

"They're coming. Now," Alice answered, playing with her fingers.

Bella tensed in my lap. I tightened my arms around her slighting and placed a reassuring kiss against her neck. Her nails dug into my arm as we waited for Alice to elaborate.

"Who's coming?" Emmett asked.

"The Volturi. They're leaving tonight. My guess would be that they'll arrive within the next two days. We need to contact everyone and get them back here, now. The best place to be would be the baseball field. It's far enough away from civilization that we won't run the risk of any humans stumbling upon us," Alice rattled off.

"From my dreams, they show up about mid-day," Bella supplied.

"What do we need to do?" I asked, pulling Bella closer.

"Round up the wolves. Have them set up camp near the field," Jasper ordered.

"What about the other vampires?" I asked.

"We had them leave for the weekend on an extended hunting trip. They should be back tomorrow morning. We'll brief them as soon as they arrive," Carlisle answered.

"What time should be get to the field?" Bella asked softly.

"I would say take today to get things together. Take some time to ensure everything is taken care of. We don't know how this battle will turn out. Everyone needs to be prepared in the event that some of us don't make it," Carlisle frowned.

Everything within me rebelled at the thought of losing my Bella. She squeaked when my grip tightened even more.

"Sorry," I mumbled, easing my hold.

I buried my face into her neck as she ran her fingers through my hair. I breathed deeply, gathering my thoughts and emotions.

"I'll alert Sam. I'm sure he'll be in touch with you later today," I said, standing up with Bella.

"Of course," Carlisle nodded.

I took hold of Bella's hand, only sparing a slight nod for the vampires in the room before tugging her out of the house. She kept quiet as I led her down to the front lawn. I quickly stripped out of my shorts and phased. Without a word, she climbed onto my back and I took off for La Push.

Anger and fear were coursing through my veins as I pushed my body as fast as it could go. I was angry at the fact that my day with Bella had been ruined and absolutely terrified that this could be my last day with her.

"Stop it, Jake. Everything is going to be fine," Bella scolded softly as we came up to my house.

I whined in response as she slid down to the ground. I phased, yanking on my shorts as soon as I was fully human.

"I can't help but worry about you, Bells. You're my imprint. Everything inside of me is screaming at me to protect you, but I can't do that. I know you have to fight in this battle, but it's slowly killing me on the inside," I told her.

She walked forward and wrapped her arms around my waist, snuggling into my chest. I held her close to my, breathing in her soothing scent.

"Nothing is going to happen to me, Jake. If anything, I should be the one worried," Bella laughed humorlessly.

"That's ridiculous, Bella. We're werewolves. We were made for this," I scoffed.

"Yeah, but in all my dreams, I've never been hurt. The battle never touched me. What if that means something," Bella persevered.

"Let's not think about that just yet. Right now, the only thing I want to think about is you and how much I love you," I insisted, leaning down to nip at my mark.

I grinned as she moan, rolling her head to the side to allow me more access. Using little nips, I worked my way to her lips. She parted them for me easily. I swept inside, battling with her tongue. I could still taste her toothpaste from earlier.

"Jake," Bella gasped, pulling away.

"Mmm?" I hummed, moving back down to suck on her neck, leaving a mark.

"Don't you think we should take this inside?" Bella asked softly.

Immediately, I swept her up in my arms and ran with her to my bedroom. Not pausing, I fell onto the bed, pinning her beneath me. I grinned at her squeal before cutting it off with a kiss. I broke away just long enough to remove her shirt and bra. As soon as she was topless, I leaned down to suck one nipple into my mouth. Her hands flew to my hair to hold me in place. I raked my teeth across the small bud in the center.

"Mmm. Jake," Bella moan, pulling my hair.

I growled in response, sucking harder. She cried out beneath me, arching her back. Eagerly, my hands flew to the button of her jeans, popping it easily. I sat back on my heels and yanked her jeans off. Another growl erupted when I noticed she wasn't wearing anything underneath.

"Damn, Bella. You're so beautiful," I groaned, moving back up her body.

"You, Mr. Black, have too many clothes on," Bella smirked.

I grinned as she made quick work of my shorts. I kicked them off after she pushed them down. Finally, we were skin on skin.

I leaned down, placing kisses up and down her neck and shoulders. One of her hands moved to my chest. Slowly, her fingers danced down to wrap around my erection. My hips pushed down against her as she moved her hand, squeezing.

"Shit," I gasped, struggling not to lose control.

"Such language," Bella mock scolded.

My entire body was trembling as she worked my cock. She leaned up and licked my neck from shoulder to jaw. I swallowed with difficulty and tried to think of anything other than my sexy, beautiful, talented girlfriend lying beneath me. Bella didn't give me a choice as she moved beneath me. Her hips moved against mine, imitating sex as she continued to pump me.

"Bells, stop! I can't… I'm gonna… Oh, God, Bella," I grunted, moving against her.

"Condom," Bella panted.

Blindly, I reached over to my night stand and opened the drawer. I pulled one out and handed it to her. She gave me a curious look.

"Open it," I growled.

I was quickly losing control and knew it. I _needed_ to be inside her.

She ripped the package open. I grabbed the condom out of her hand and rolled it over my length.

"This is not going to be gentle, honey. I can't do gentle right now," I informed her roughly.

She wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me down for a kiss. With a feral growl, I crashed my lips against hers at the same time I slammed home inside her. Her scream masked the contented growl I made as her tight heat surrounded me.

I knew I needed to wait and give her some time to adjust, but my inner wolf had been brought out and he wanted to claim his mate.

"I'm... sorry…" I ground out as I began pounding into her.

"Oh, God," Bella gasped, arching to meet my thrusts.

I growled in response, speeding up. She was making the sexiest noises I'd ever heard as I brought her to her first climax. I pulled out while she was still shuddering and flipped her over, onto her stomach.

"On your knees," I ordered, lifting her.

She rose on unsteady hands and knees. Her head was hanging as she tried to catch her breath. I teased her entrance with the head of my cock, lubricating myself with her sweet juices.

"Jake, please," Bella whimpered, pushing her hips against me.

With a groan, I shoved inside her again. She screamed, throwing her head back. I reached out and grabbed hold of her hair, pulling her until her back was against my chest, continuing to pound into her.

"Touch yourself," I snarled.

Hesitantly, she lowered her hand down her stomach. I jerked on her hair when she paused. She cried out and slipped her hand to her clit. I watched over her shoulder as she rubbed herself while I fucked her.

"That's right. Mmm, you are so fucking sexy," I groaned, licking at her skin.

"Jake. Oh, God, Jake. Please, please, please," Bella cried.

"What do you want?" I asked, running my tongue over my mark.

"Please. God, bite me," Bella gasped.

Before the last word had left her lips, I sank my teeth into her shoulder, giving her another one of my marks. She screamed again and clenched around my dick. With a roar, I allowed my own release.

Severely shaken, I collapsed on top of Bella, pressing her into the mattress. We were both panting, trying to catch our breath. After a few moments, I managed enough energy to pull out and off of her. She rolled to face me and pressed her front against my side. I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

"You marked me again," Bella whispered when she finally caught her breath.

"Yeah," I grinned.

"Why?" Bella asked.

"Because my wolf was in the forefront. He demanded it, really," Jake shrugged.

"Hmm. I think I like it when your wolf comes out," Bella smirked, placing kisses across my chest.

"Oh, really, now?" I asked, rolling to pin her to the mattress.

She giggled and wrapped her arms around my neck. Just as I was about to kiss her and, hopefully, start round two, the phone rang in the kitchen. I groaned and buried my face into her chest. She ran her fingers through my hair.

"We better get that. It could be important," Bella murmured.

With a defeated sigh, I climbed off the bed and picked up my shorts. Pulling them off, I walked into the kitchen and picked up the phone.

"What?" I snapped.

"I need you and Bella to get over here. We have two new wolves and we need to make some decisions about tomorrow," Sam answered briskly.

"Damn it! Who?" I shouted.

"Brady and Collin. They've been showing signs for a few days now. Get Bella and get over here," Sam ordered.

"We'll be right there," I sighed before hanging up the phone.

"Who was that?" Bella asked.

I turned to see her fully dressed, pulling her hair up into a ponytail. I briefly mourned the loss of her nakedness.

"Sam. We have two new wolves and he wanted to go over plans for tomorrow," I told her.

She frowned as she walked towards me. I instantly wrapped my arms around her, pulling her against my chest. I placed a kiss on top of her head.

"Who are the new wolves?" Bella whispered.

"Brady and Collin. Sam must have them at his place. We need to go over there," I sighed, nuzzling her hair.

"Let's go, then," Bella urged, breaking away from my hold and leading me out the door.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

Jake and I walked into Sam and Emily's house to find the entire pack in an uproar. Jake instantly moved to stand in front of me protectively. I would've laughed if the pack's energy hadn't been so frantic.

"Where's Sam?" Jake barked above the others.

Instantly, everyone turned to look at us.

"He's out back with the two new ones," Paul frowned, crossing his arms.

"Everyone needs to sit down and stay calm. Until I come back with Sam, Brady, and Collin, none of you are to move," I commanded, moving to go out back.

"Bella," Jake warned.

"Not now, Jake. I understand where you're coming from, but it's going to be bad enough with Sam. We don't need two dominant wolves out there," I sighed, giving him an apologetic look over my shoulder.

I gave Emily a quick wave as I passed the kitchen. As soon as I stepped outside, I could hear the growls and whimpers coming from the forest. I hurried my steps until I came to the edge of the forest.

_Sam? Are they okay?_ I asked as I slowly walked into the trees.

_They're a little stressed, but they're calming down. Think you could help out a little?_ Sam sighed.

_Sure thing,_ I grinned.

I pushed past Sam's mind and connected with the other two wolves in the woods. Brady and Collin were guarding each other's backs against Sam. I felt tears come to my eyes as I realized they thought Sam was a threat.

_Collin? Brady? It's going to be okay. He won't hurt you,_ I soothed.

_Who are you? What's going on? What happened?_ Brady freaked.

_I'll answer all your questions. It's going to be okay, I promise. My name is Bella Swan. I'm Jacob Black's girlfriend. You both know Jacob, right?_ I smiled.

_Yeah,_ Brady answered.

I smiled wider when I realized he was stepping into the protective role, trying to protect his brother.

_And you know Sam Uley, right?_ I continued.

_Yeah,_ Brady repeated.

_Well, Sam is the big black wolf in front of you. You both know the legends of the Quileutes. They're true. Sam is the Alpha of the pack and I am the Omega. We're going to help you both calm down enough to phase back to human, _I explained.

Gradually, between Sam and I, we got them to phase back. They were shivering together in a clearing when I finally found them. Sam was standing over them, frowning. Neither one of the younger boys were responding to him.

"Sam? Why don't you go get the boys some clothes," I suggested, moving into the clearing slowly.

He huffed, but nodded once. I turned my attention to the newest pups of the pack. They were looking anywhere but me. I smiled when I realized they were embarrassed to be naked in front of me.

"So, which one of you is Collin and which one is Brady?" I asked, looking only at their faces.

"I'm Brady," Brady answered first.

"Then, you're Collin," I smiled at the other boy.

They looked so similar, they could've been twins. The only way I could find to tell them apart was the Collin was just a tad bit slimmer than Brady.

"As soon as Sam comes back with shorts for you boys, we'll go back to his place and fill you in on what it means to be a wolf in the pack," I told them.

"Erm, can I ask you a question?" Collin asked.

"Of course," I agreed easily.

"What exactly is an Omega? I get Alpha cause they're in real wolf packs, but I've never heard of an Omega," Collin asked the ground.

I grinned and let out a little laugh.

"That is a very good question. One that would be better answered by the pack. Billy Black, Harry Clearwater, and Quil Ateara Sr. had to explain it all to the pack. I'm sure Sam is getting one or all of them to come talk to you two. Between them, Sam, and myself, I'm sure you'll be completely informed before tonight is over," I assured them.

Before they could ask me another question, Sam came into the clearing, holding two pairs of shorts. He tossed them to Brady and Collin while I turned around to give the boy some privacy.

"Jake was getting nervous," Sam murmured.

"He has got to learn to relax," I frowned.

"It's two new wolves. I don't blame him. I'd be nervous if it was Emily," Sam shrugged.

"Yeah, but Emily is not the pack's Omega," I reminded him.

Sam grinned and shook his head.

"Alright, you two, try not to phase. You have to stay calm in order for that to happen. Let Bella know if you start to lose control and she'll help calm you down," Sam instructed.

I glanced over my shoulder to see the two of them nod.

"Let's get back to the house. We have a lot to go over before tomorrow," Sam sighed, rubbing his face roughly.

"Don't worry, boys. The rest of the pack will be very accepting of you. You'll be surrounded by brothers and a sister. Emily, Sam's girlfriend, is like the pack mother," I informed them.

"What are you, then?" Brady asked.

"You can think of me as your bestest friend in the whole wide world. I make everything better," I giggled, spreading out my arms.

Sam snorted beside me, clearly giving his opinion. I hip bumped him in retaliation.

"No one asked you," I glared.

Sam just grinned, shaking his head at me.

We came in sight of the house and I smiled as I ran up the back steps. I didn't stop until I was in the living room and crashing into Jake's lap on the couch.

"Omph!"

"I missed you," I grinned, kissing him.

Jake smiled and laughed as I peppered his face with quick kisses.

"I missed you, too, Bells. Now, can you spare what's left of my face?" Jake chuckled.

I laughed as I pulled away, settling down in my seat beside him. His arm went around my shoulders as Sam brought in Brady and Collin. The two looked around the room nervously.

"You two can come sit over here," I encouraged, motioning to the space in front of me.

Neither one hesitated before they moved to sit at my feet. Collin leaned against my leg while Brady sat up straight, watching the room. Sam took his usual sit and prepared to get down to business.

I patted Collin's shoulder before leaning into Jake. He tightened his hold on me, placing a kiss against my head. I briefly closed my eyes, enjoying having him close, before focusing on Sam.

Sam went over all the information for Collin and Brady. He laid out what was expected of them as part of the pack. He explained about the Cullens and other vampires. After all the basics had been covered, he went into details about the battle tomorrow. Brady and Collin both bristled when Sam told them the Volturi were after me. I had to reassure them repetitively and use my Omega influence to calm them down.

"Now that you're both caught up, we need to discuss how tomorrow is going to go. According to Bella, the Volturi will be arriving about mid-day. We need to be in the field tomorrow morning. We meet here at dawn. We'll go as a pack to scout the area. Bella will remain with Leah in the clearing. The Cullen's will arrive with their friends shortly after dawn. We'll discuss tactics with them there," Sam instructed.

I smiled at Leah when Sam assigned her as my protector. She grinned and gave me a wink. I knew Sam had a practical reason for doing it, but I was just happy to have Leah back with me. Not that I didn't like having Seth as my protector. It was just that Leah and I had a connection I didn't have with any of the guys.

"Tonight, I want Paul, Embry, Collin, and Brady to patrol with me. We're going to have to give Collin and Brady the crash course. The rest of you, try to get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be difficult," Sam sighed.

Emily took that moment to pop her head into the living room. When she saw we were done, she came out, smiling.

"I just put lunch on the table if anyone's hungry," Emily offered.

Of course, there was a mad dash to the table. I smiled when I saw Paul grab Collin and Brady off the floor, pulling them with him to lunch. Jake kissed my neck before going to fix himself a plate.

Emily came over to sit next to me.

"Bella, I have a favor to ask you," Emily said softly.

"Sure, Em. What is it?" I asked.

"Well, tomorrow, when you go to this big battle thing, will you please make sure Sam doesn't do anything stupid? It's bad enough when he and the pack go against just a few vampires. Now, they're going up against an entire coven. I'm worried he's going to try to protect everyone else and not focus on protecting himself," Emily admitted.

"Oh, Emily. Sam would never do anything to put himself in harms way. He knows what it would do to you. But, I promise, I'll keep an extra eye out for him. I plan on making sure all our pups come home safely," I assured her.

"Thank you," Emily sniffed, giving me a watery smile.

"Don't worry, Em. Everything is going to be fine."

* * *

"Ugh! It's not right to be up before the sun," I grumbled as Jake led me to meet the pack.

"I know, honey, but just think. Tomorrow, you can sleep in as late as you want," Jake encouraged.

"Mmm. That sounds lovely," I hummed, leaning against him arm.

Jake chuckled, leaning over to kiss the top of my head. I snuggled further into his warmth, yawning slightly.

When we came up to Sam's house, the rest of the pack was standing around waiting for us. I was reminded of the time we'd met to go meet the Cullens. It was surprising, but everyone seemed much calmer this morning than they had that night. Maybe it was the added help.

"Alright, pack, into the woods. Jacob, bring Bella. Once we get there, I'll hand out assignments," Sam ordered.

Jake led me into a section of woods away from the rest of the pack. He undressed and phased quickly before allowing me to climb onto his back. He gave a quick huff before trotting off to catch up with the pack.

As we moved through the trees, I relaxed against his back. The gentle sway lulled me into a half-dream state. I didn't worry about falling. My Jake would never let me get hurt.

We arrived in the clearing just as the sun was coming up. I dismounted and pushed into the pack mind with a yawn.

_Jacob, Embry. Take the south side. Jared, Seth. Take the west. Paul, Brady, Collin. Take the north. Seth and I will check the east. Leah and Bella will stay here and await the Cullens and their guests. Move out,_ Sam commanded.

Jake came up to me and brushed against my side before taking off after Embry. Leah shifted her paws as the guys combed the forest. I was too tired to stay standing and sat, leaning against her left front leg. She lightly bumped the back of my head with her muzzle, a silent encouragement to relax. I blinked tiredly, yawning again.

I drifted into the half-awake/half-asleep place where I could hear what was going on around me, but was too tired to actually respond. I heard Leah growl softly and in the next instant, heard Carlisle's voice.

"Calm down, Leah. We won't wake her. I understand she must be very exhausted dealing with all of this."

Leah huffed in response.

"Would you call Sam and the others back? My son, Jasper, would like to discuss strategy with the pack," Carlisle asked.

I felt Leah shift slightly and figured she had either nodded or shaken her head. I sighed, snuggling further into her fur.

A moment later, I felt a pull on my shirt. I squinted open my eyes to see Jake pulling me away from Leah and against him. He was lying down in the grass and he curved his body around mine as soon as I laid down beside him. I fisted a hand in his fur, pulling myself closer to his heat. He gave a contented growl, placing his head on top of mine.

I felt the shift in the air as a few of the wolves phased back.

"How would you like to go about this, Carlisle?" Sam asked.

"Jasper, actually, is in charge of this part, Sam. He has more experience in this field," Carlisle admitted.

"We know the Volturi will be coming to this field around mid-day today. The best thing for us to do is create a formation with Bella in the center. Obviously, we would place how ever many wolves you deem necessary by her. Remember, though, that we are all here to protect her. If your wolves will be more useful elsewhere, I'd prefer they not stay by Bella," Jasper started.

Jake growled softly beside me. I shushed him gently, petting his ribcage. He settled down again, nuzzling my neck. I giggled softly, lifting my shoulder in an attempt to block his cold, wet nose.

"Jake? Is she awake?" Sam asked.

Jake shifted beneath me and I groaned, knowing my cover was blown. I stretched some, working out my stiff muscles before sitting up. I glanced around and saw that Sam, Jasper, and Carlisle were all squatting around a piece of paper on the ground. Knowing I'd need to be aware of what was going to happen, I crawled over to where they were and looked down.

"This is the layout we had planned for today. Is there anything you think needs to be changed?" Sam asked.

I frowned down at the piece of paper, struggling to remember my dreams.

"In my dreams, there weren't so many wolves around me. They were more around the perimeter. Actually, I didn't really have anyone close to me. And I wasn't in the center of the group. I was more to the front, behind the first line," I informed them.

I heard the human Jake growl and knew he disapproved of this plan. I glanced over my shoulder to see him right behind me, frowning at the paper.

I turned my attention back to the other three men.

"I need to be able to see the other Omega. I have a feeling he is going to be very important in what goes on today," I continued.

"Fine. We'll put you here, behind Sam and Jacob," Jasper pointed.

I felt Jake relax behind me and smiled slightly. He was so predictable.

"Alright. Now that that is decided, we need to discuss how today is going to go. Most often, the three brothers like to put on a show. Now, we've already discussed the talents of each of the vampires. I trust you to remember them. Bella's shield will protect us from most of them, but some of the Volturi are no ability other than strength. Bella's shield won't protect us from them. Hopefully, we'll be able to come to a peaceful understanding and not have to worry about actually fighting the Volturi, but from Bella's dreams, I have little hope of that actually happening. There will be a fight today and people will die. I only hope that we are able to make more of a dent in their numbers than they are in ours," Carlisle sighed.

I bit my lip and stood up, turning away from the circle. Jake stood as well and wrapped arm around my shoulder.

"Why don't you go see Alice? I'm sure she's anxious to speak with you," Jake breathed against my ear.

I shivered slightly, but nodded, knowing I needed the distraction. Alice smiled warmly at me as I walked towards her, Emmett, Rosalie, and Edward. I returned her smile, leaning forward to hug her.

"Hey, Alice," I greeted.

"Bella! Why are you so glum?" Alice asked, her brows puckered.

"Why not? I've seen what's going to happen today. It's hopeless. No one is going to survive," I sniffled, tears coming to my eyes.

"Stop it! Stop it, right now, Isabella Marie Swan! You know damn well that visions don't always come true! A split decision could change the entire outcome of this battle! Don't you dare condemn it before it's even begun!" Alice scolded harshly.

The tears fell in earnest as I looked at her. I nodded slightly before throwing myself into her arms.

"I'm terrified, Alice. I don't want my dreams to come true," I mumbled into her shoulder.

She ran her fingers through my hair, murmuring softly to me as I struggled to gain control. Eventually, I pulled away, feeling calmer and more in control of my emotions. Alice searched my eyes briefly before nodding, satisfied.

"Hey, there, little sis. No need to cry! Your big bro will make sure nothing happens to his little sis," Emmett assured me.

I chuckled darkly as I hugged him as well.

"It's not me I'm worried about, silly. It's everyone else. _I_ never even got hurt in my dreams," I pointed out.

"Because I was there to save you!" Emmett grinned.

That actually got me to really laugh and I could tell Emmett was pleased. I gave him another hug, squeezing as tight as I could, to let him know how grateful I was.

"Everything will be fine, Bella. Isn't that what you always tell Jacob? You should have more faith in your own words," Edward said, shaking his head at me.

"It's easier to believe when I know it for a fact," I sighed, running a hand through my hair.

I glanced across the field to where the pack was located. A few of them were watching me, making sure nothing happened while I was with the vampires. I smiled slightly, feeling the love we all shared for one another surrounding me.

I looked beyond them to where I knew the Volturi would be coming and shuddered. In just a few hours, we would be facing off with the most powerful coven in the vampire world. To say the thought was daunting was a gross understatement.

There was a sudden breeze that seemed to fill the field. I turned to look at Benjamin to see if he was practicing his power, but he was in deep conversation with Amun, their two women standing silently beside them.

Frowning, I glanced around the clearing. The breeze didn't feel normal and that worried me.

"Looking for something, Bella?" Alice asked lightly.

I didn't answer, turning to face the direction the breeze was blowing from. I felt my eyes widen when I saw the Volturi's Omega standing just inside the tree line. His eyes were focused on me and I suddenly knew he was controlling the breeze that was lightly lifting my hair.

As soon as our eyes connected, I felt him inside my mind and I became unaware of what was happening around me.

_You have not prepared like I told you,_ he frowned.

_I don't know what else we could've done. They're all as ready as they'll ever be for this fight. There was nothing more to teach them,_ I argued.

_I was not speaking of your pack and the covens who are here to assist you. I was speaking of you. You are not ready for this confrontation,_ he clarified.

_What else could I have done?_ I asked.

_You are still sent in the mentality of the rest of them. You are a Hetep warrior. Our people are above such displays of violence, _he reprimanded.

_I'm a what warrior? By the way, warrior implies violence,_ I disputed.

_Not by our people. A Hetep warrior was the highest honor in ancient Egypt, where our people originated. We were held in higher regards than even the kings of our country. As time went by, people began seeking out Hetep warriors to aid them in battle. They failed to realize the secret behind the name. Hetep is "peace" in our mother language. We are warriors of the peace. What you have failed to learn is that you are not a fighter. Your place in this battle will not be as a soldier, but as an __eirene aggelou, or peace bringer, as the vampires call us,_ he explained.

I was stunned into silence, not knowing what to say. All this time, I had been wrong, wasting my energy on learning to fight when it wasn't needed.

_You have the same spirit of my sister, Omega. She and I were separated many centuries ago. I was forced to witness her execution when the Volturi found her helping the Romans. I do not wish to see your family destroyed in the same manner. You must find the Hetep warrior within yourself if you hope to save them,_ he insisted.

_How?_ I asked quietly.

_I cannot answer that question for you. Only you can. I must go. Your family is getting frantic in their worry. I pray that you find your inner warrior,_ he claimed.

_Wait! What is your name?_ I asked quickly.

_I have not been called by my name for centuries. To the Volturi, I am simply the Peace Bringer. However, before I came into their hands, I was called __Sethirkopshef. In the language of our people, it means "set is his strength". Now, good luck, Omega._

I blinked and found myself suddenly staring at the cloudy sky with Carlisle bent over me, my head in Jake's lap. Both had looks of relief on their faces when I opened my eyes.

"What happened?" I asked, trying to sit up.

"Not yet, Bella. You fainted. Just, take it slow," Carlisle insisted.

Jake wrapped his arms around my shoulders and held me against him, restraining my movements.

"I didn't faint! I was talking to Sethirkopshef," I frowned.

"I'm sure you were, Bella. Just stay down for a minute. Tell me, do you feel light headed?" Carlisle asked.

"No. I'm fine, Carlisle. Really. Let me up," I persisted.

Jake released me, but kept his hands on my arms as I eagerly sat up and scanned the woods around us, looking for Sethirkopshef. Man, what a mouthful! The woods were empty, which wasn't a surprise.

"Bella? Bella? Come on, honey, look at me."

I turned and saw Jake kneeling beside me, his expression concerned. I reached up and touched his face, easing his frown.

"What happened?" Jake asked.

"I don't know. One minute, I was talking to Alice, the next, I'm talking to the Volturi's Omega. He was in the woods right over there," I pointed in the direction.

Jake looked over at Sam, who nodded. He, Embry, and Quil went off in that direction.

"NO! Don't hurt him! He helped me," I pleaded.

"Bells, you were unconscious. Not even Leah smacking you woke you up," Jake frowned.

I touched my cheek gently, feeling the left over sting. Jake's expression darkened.

"You have to stop fainting, Bella. I can't stand her hitting you constantly," Jake growled.

"Sorry. I'll get right on that," I assured him sarcastically.

He continued to frown at me as he stood up, reaching out a hand to assist me. I brushed myself off before turning to address the rest of our group.

"Sethirkopshef told me I can't fight in this battle. I have to find a way to reach my inner Hetep warrior," I told them.

"What exactly happened, Bella?" Sam asked, crossing his arms.

I explained to them, as best I could, about what Sethirkopshef had told me. I explained about the Hetep people, how the warriors were viewed as higher than kings, and the way the warriors were sought after for their skills in battle. When I explained about the Hetep warrior bringing peace to the battle field, it finally clicked for them.

"Bella, if you are able to connect to your inner warrior, you could stop the battle from happening," Alice cried happily.

"I know. The only problem is, I'm not sure how to connect with it," I murmured, biting my lip.

"Did Sethirkopshef give you any hints?" Esme asked.

"He just said that I would find the answer within myself. I'm not sure how I'm going to do this," I huffed.

Jake wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me against his chest.

"I think I can help you with that, Bells. When we transform into wolves for the first time, we go through a similar process. We have to find the wolf inside ourselves and create a balance with them. The wolf gives us control most of the time, but there are instances when the wolf comes to the forefront," Jake informed me.

I turned my head to look up at him. His face was drawn in concern, but he seemed determined to help me through with this. I nodded and grabbed hold of one of his hands.

"Show me," I whispered.

Jake's jaw tightened as he led me away from the crowd. He took me to the center of the field and sat down, pulling me with him. I was positioned directly in front of him.

"In order to locate your inner warrior, you need to lose conscious thought of what is going on around you. Close your mind off to everything around you and focus on the beating of your heart," Jake instructed.

I closed my eyes and focused on breathing. I could feel my heartbeat throughout my body, slowly pulsating.

"Good. Now, the power of your heart beating is the power behind your soul. You need to open that part of yourself. Focus on controlling your heart beat. You dictate when it beats faster and when it slows," Jake continued.

I did as he said, concentrating on my heart beat. Gradually, I was able to control the beating. Or rather, the pulsation of my soul. My heartbeat remained the same, but I could feel my soul's pulse shifting and bending to my will.

I gasped, opening my eyes. Jake was smiling proudly at me.

"Oh my gosh. This is amazing," I whispered.

"You can do this, honey. I have complete faith in you," Jake murmured, taking my hands in his.

"I love you," I smiled, leaning closer.

"I love you, too," Jake grinned, meeting me in the middle.

Our lips came together in a sweet, simple kiss that proved the absolute rightness in our love.

"Bella? We need to formulate a new plan," Jasper called from across the field.

I pulled away from Jake and sighed.

"Come on, honey. The sooner we get finished here, the sooner we can go home and just relax with each other," Jake reminded me.

"Mmm. Sounds perfect," I sighed.

He chuckled and kissed my temple as we walked towards the rest of our group. Everyone was talking adamantly about what was going to happen. It suddenly felt as if we would all survive. I felt positive that we would.

* * *

**Okay everybody! At the least, we have one more chapter. At the most, we have two. I haven't decided yet. If I do two, the last one will be an epilogue type deal and a lot shorter than all the others.**

**You guys definitely learned a lot in this chapter. I hope it eases some of your worries about the battle. I'll see you guys again soon! I'm hoping to have this whole story over by the weekend so I can work on my next story, which I will tell you guys about next chapter (for those who would like to follow me).**

**Just a little tid-bit about it, it's a Jasper/Bella story.**


	27. Chapter 27: Omega Help

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

"How are we doing on time, Carlisle?" Sam asked, scanning the trees in front of us.

"In five minutes, it will be exactly twelve o'clock," Carlisle answered.

I shifted on the balls of my feet. I could feel the presence of the Volturi coming closer. It was almost like a black cloud, quickly creeping across the sky. Jake took hold of my hand and brought it to his lips. I looked over at him, smiling softly.

"I love you. Try to be safe, okay?" Jake murmured against my skin.

"I love you, too. And don't worry about me. You just focus on keeping yourself safe," I insisted.

Jake grinned, leaning down to give me a quick kiss.

"You know I can't help but worry about you, honey."

"Well, try today, okay? I don't want to have to save your furry butt from vampire annihilation," I smirked.

Jake laughed lightly before moving away from me to phase. As soon as he was changed, he moved back to my side, pressing against me. I threaded my fingers through his fur to reassure us both.

"I can see them. They'll be coming through the trees in less than a minute," Carlisle informed us.

I focused my attention on the line of trees in front of us. Everyone was positioned to best suit their power and abilities, but I was hoping that Sethirkopshef and I could bring peace to our two families.

"Bella, you stay back, okay? I don't care what happens, you do not break rank," Sam growled in warning before phasing.

I didn't reply as a wave of black stepped out of the forest. Growls instantly rose among the wolves and the vampires became stone statues. Without hesitating, I threw up my shield around our entire family. I hoped it wouldn't come to that, but I wanted to be safe.

"Ah, Carlisle, old friend. How are you this lovely day?" A black haired vampire asked.

"Aro, it's good to see you, as always. Might I ask what the occasion is?" Carlisle inquired.

"Has Alice lost her abilities? I figured she would have informed you of our little trip," Aro grinned.

I shivered when I noticed the grin didn't reach his eyes. Jake pressed more firmly against me in comfort.

"Unfortunately, the wolves you see amongst us block her visions. We are very much in the dark when it comes to your purpose," Carlisle admitted.

Aro's eyes swept across my wolves and I fought the urge to attack him.

_You need to be calm, Bella. I see you have uncovered your warrior. You will need her very soon,_ Sethirkopshef encouraged.

_Where are you?_ I asked, scanning the group before us.

_Surrounded by the Guard. You won't see me, young one. Worry not, I will assist you when the time comes. We will not lose anyone on this day if all goes according to plan,_ Sethirkopshef promised.

_I hope you're right,_ I sighed.

"We have come for the wolves' Omega. We have our own Peace Bringer within the Volturi, but you must understand why we would not want her powers to fall into the wrong hands," Aro told Carlisle.

"Yes, I agree. Bella is very powerful and her powers should be protected," Carlisle agreed.

"Ah, yes. Young Isabella. Tell me, Carlisle, why does Marcus not sense a bond between her and your son, Edward? I had assumed they were mates," Aro frowned at me.

_What is he talking about?_ I asked Sethirkopshef.

_His brother on his right can sense relationships. Aro should be holding brother of his brother's hands. It's a sign of joined power and allows Aro to read their thoughts,_ Sethirkopshef answered.

I glanced down at Aro's hands and, sure enough, Aro was holding the hands of the two vampires on either side of him.

_The other brother is Caius. He had no power, but he is very vicious. He is hoping to eradicate your wolves. He fears them,_ Sethirkopshef explained.

"Bella has bonded with the wolves. She is mated with one of their own," Carlisle corrected him.

"Interesting. Yes, I see that now. The one beside her who is baring his teeth at us," Aro smirked.

"Yes. That is Jacob Black," Carlisle nodded.

"Interesting," Aro repeated.

There was a silence while both parties waited for the other to make a move.

"Aro, I am hoping we can resolve this conflict peacefully. I do not wish to lose any member of my family and I know you feel the same," Carlisle pleaded.

"Of course, Carlisle. All we require is for the Quileute's to hand over their Omega and we will leave. No harm done," Aro consented easily.

My wolves all bristled, ferocious growls echoing off the trees.

_It is time, Bella. You need to intercede. Worry not, Omega. Our combined powers will keep the peace,_ Sethirkopshef assured me.

I waited until my wolves were calmed down before interrupting Carlisle's next statement.

"I'm sure you are aware of the bond that forms between a Hetep warrior and their people, Aro, seeing as how you are bonded with Sethirkopshef. You also know, then, that my wolves will not simply hand me over. If you try to take me, it will result in a battle between our two families.

"As a Hetep warrior, I cannot allow such a thing to transpire. This meeting will end peacefully, with both sides completely intact," I said.

Aro regarded me for a few moments in silence. I figured he was listening to the thoughts of his brothers as well.

"I am afraid, Omega, that we cannot simply allow you to remain here. Your powers could be used in an attempt to overthrow our empire," Aro frowned.

I rolled my eyes at how conceited he was, but pushed forward.

"There will be no battle, Aro. You will not remove me from my wolves," I reiterated.

"My dear, we will not give you the choice. Alec," Aro called, grinning evilly.

I watched as one of the vampires came forward at Aro's call. He stood slightly behind the three brothers and stared at us.

I vaguely remembered Carlisle telling us about this particular vampire. His power was to incapacitate his enemies with a fine mist. The mist cut off all sensory systems. The victim would feel nothing that was happening to them.

I saw the mist approach my shield and grinned in smug satisfaction when the mist hit the wall. My shield was firmly in place. My family was safe.

"I think you may want to reconsider your previous statement, Aro. Bella is a much strong Hetep warrior than Sethirkopshef's sister ever was," Vladimir smirked.

"Silence, Vladimir. It would not take much to rid the world of the last of the Romans," Aro glared, his cool façade slipping.

"Come now, Aro. Let's find a way to settle this without coming to blows," Carlisle soothed.

In the blink of an eye, Aro's poker face was back and he was completely unruffled.

_Things are looking good, Bella. Our powers may not be needed,_ Sethirkopshef said.

"The only way to settle this, Carlisle, is for the wolves to hand over their Omega. If you fail to do so, we will exterminate everyone in this field. I do not wish to kill you, Carlisle, but the wolves must not be allowed to keep young Bella," Aro sighed.

_Spoke too soon,_ I grumbled.

_Very well. Our powers will be needed. Bring your warrior out, Bella. Let her take control. She will know what to do,_ Sethirkopshef encouraged.

I closed my eyes and allowed the pulse of my soul to expand until I felt it throughout my entire being. When I opened my eyes again, everything I saw changed. I could easily see the threads that held each family together. I reached down to touch the thick one that connected Jake and myself. It was the strongest on the field.

_We must connect the two families, Bella. Focus all your energy on my soul. We will bond together, thus, bringing the two families together,_ Sethirkopshef instructed.

I did as he said, seeking out his soul's energy amongst the rest of the Volturi. Once I found him, I began working on the bonding that was necessary for Hetep warriors' survival. I could feel Sethirkopshef doing the same to my own soul.

Suddenly, there was an electric charge that jolted through my body. It was similar to what had occurred when I bonded with Sam, but much stronger. As soon as the bolt was gone, I could see the bonds connecting the two families together.

"NO! Sethirkopshef! What have you done?" Aro screamed in a rage.

Sethirkopshef moved through the sea of black to stand beside the three brothers. I smiled at him and he returned the gesture.

"I bonded with their Omega. I warned you, Aro. My people are peaceful beings. As soon as you threatened war, I had to step in. By bonding with Bella, I have joined our two families. Thus, Bella is a part of this coven, vicariously through me. There is no need to take her away from her wolves," Sethirkopshef explained.

Aro growled angrily, his eyes flashing as he looked at his Hetep warrior.

"It seems as though our own Peace Bringer has found a loop-hole. Very well. We will not collect Bella today. However, if there is ever a slip-up, we will be here and we will remove her," Aro threatened.

"I'm sure we will be able to work something out before such a thing happens, if it ever does," Carlisle assured him.

"I am glad our families are both still complete, Carlisle. You should come visit us in Volterra more often. I have missed your company," Aro offered.

"I will contemplate a trip once things have died down here. Until then, old friend," Carlisle bowed his head.

Aro bowed his own head before spinning around with his brothers and disappearing into the Volturi's black mass. Sethirkopshef caught my eye and winked before following behind them.

Once the last of them had disappeared behind the tree line, a wave of calmness swept over the entire group. I grinned as I caught Jasper's eye. He laughed lightly at me before sweeping Alice up into his arms.

"It's over. It's really over," Esme murmured.

Suddenly, everyone was embracing. I laughed as Jake phased back, pulled me into his arms, and spun me around.

"I love you. I love you. I love you," Jake said between kisses.

"I love you, too," I grinned.

He set me down on my feet, but kept his arm wrapped around my waist as we watched our pack.

"Well done, Bella. I don't think Aro realized what you were doing until it was already done," Carlisle congratulated, walking towards us.

"Thanks, Carlisle, but it was really Sethirkopshef's idea," I shrugged.

"It's unfortunate he couldn't stick around for a while. I would've liked to have picked his brain," Carlisle sighed.

"I'm sure he'd be more than happy to speak with you when you go visit the Volturi next," I assured him.

"True," Carlisle agreed, smiling at the thought.

"Bella! You did it! You saved everybody! I knew you would!" Alice squealed, pulling me into a hug.

"Jeeze, pixie. Shut up, would you? You're giving me a migraine," Leah grumbled.

Alice simply stuck her tongue out at her. Leah growled back, which caused Alice to snap in Leah's direction. I rolled my eyes at them, but was unable to hide my smile completely.

"I think it's time for us to head back to La Push. I'm sure our imprints and family members will be eager to know the outcome," Sam reminded us.

"Oh. I just have one thing to do before we go," I told him.

I turned to face the majority of the field and gave a shrill whistle to gain their attention.

"I just wanted to thank all of you for coming out here today to protect me and my family. I want you to know, I consider all of you here today as part of my family. I hope you will stay for a day or so, so I can thank each of you personally and say goodbye. Unfortunately, my pack and I must return to La Push to inform the Elders and our families of what has happened. Thank you all, again. I cannot tell you what it means to have so many people here to help us," I said, tearing up slightly.

There was a murmured response from mostly everyone. I smiled as I climbed up on Jake's back, waving as he took off into the woods with the rest of the pack behind him.

* * *

When we got back to Sam's, it was as if the entire reservation was there. I glanced up at Jake, but he was frowning at the row of cars in front of the house.

"What's going on?" Seth asked, looking at the house.

"It looks like Emily had everyone come over to wait for news," Sam grinned.

"Charlie's here," I murmured, spotting the cruiser.

"Let's go tell him the good news," Jake suggested, smiling at me.

I took a deep breath before leading the pack into the house. As soon as I cleared the threshold, the entire house got quiet. The tiny cottage was busting at the seams with everyone's family members stuffed inside.

When the door closed behind the last of the pack, Emily came around from the kitchen. As soon as she saw Sam, she started crying. She ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck and peppering his face in kisses. Sam quickly got to work calming her down.

Emily's outburst seemed to cause a chain reaction and the entire pack was suddenly surrounded by their families. Jake and I moved to the corner where Billy was sitting with Charlie. Charlie stood up and pulled me into his arms.

"I'm glad you're safe, Bells. Billy and I have been worried sick," Charlie admitted gruffly.

"I'm sorry, Dad. Everything turned out okay, though. The Volturi won't be coming back for a good while," I assured him.

"Good," Charlie nodded, patting my shoulder.

I smiled as I watched Billy give a similar talk to Jake. He glanced over at me and returned my smile when Billy patted his back. He reached out a hand for me, which I took. I moved to his side, breathing a sigh of relief that the stress and worry was over.

"Attention everyone! We will be holding a bonfire tonight at First Beach to celebrate the success of the pack!" Sam called from the door.

A cheer went up throughout the room. I laughed as Jake raised a fist in the air.

"Quil, Embry, Seth. Come with me to get the wood," Jake requested.

He leaned down to give me a swift kiss.

"We'll be back soon. Hold down the fort here," Jake grinned.

"Aye, aye, captain," I saluted.

I turned to find Sam talking with Billy and Charlie, Emily glued to his side. She smiled when I came to stand beside them.

"Thank you, Bella," Emily whispered, hugging me.

"Anytime, Em," I chuckled.

"Bella, I've was talking to Billy and the other Elders. We've come to the decision to take down the bolder with the Cullens. The treaty is still in affect, but I don't see any reason why we have to ban them from our lands after today," Sam told me.

I squealed, throwing myself at him.

"Thank you, Sam! I know they'll be thrilled," I grinned.

"Yes, well. It's obvious we can trust them after all their help with this Volturi business," Sam shrugged.

"Can I tell them? Tomorrow when I go over?" I pleaded.

Sam shared a look with Billy, both of them smiling slightly.

"Sure," Sam agreed, looking back at me.

I threw myself at him again, thanking him repetitively.

"Okay, okay. Hands off my man," Emily insisted.

I pulled away laughing.

"Bella, you slut, get your ass over here!" Leah yelled from the other side of the room.

Charlie's face turned a deep shade of red as he focused on the blank wall over my shoulder. I choked back a laugh and patted his arm.

"She's teasing, Dad. Calm down," I assured him before hurrying across the room to Leah.

"Did I hear you're going over to the leech lair tomorrow?" Leah asked.

"Yes. Why? You want to come with? I'm sure Alice would love to play dress up," I teased.

"No, thank you. I will be going with you, though. No telling what'll happen if you're left to your own devices," Leah smirked.

"Shut up," I laughed, shoving her.

She waved me off.

"Yeah, well, I'll see you tonight. Don't be late!" Leah called, leaving.

I looked around and noticed that most of the people had gone home. Only Sam, Emily, Billy, and Charlie had remained. Sam motioned for Billy and Charlie to take a seat and watch TV. Emily made her way into the kitchen to start cooking for tonight. I followed behind her to wait until Jake came back.

* * *

The bonfire was in full swing. Everyone was laughing and enjoying being together. No patrols needed to be run, no threats hung over our heads.

I was leaning against Jake's chest while he joked with Embry. Quil was helping Claire roast marshmallows. Jared, Kim, Sam, and Emily were dancing to the radio. The Elders were with Charlie, no doubt sharing gossip, their wives close by. Collin, Brady, Leah, Seth, and Paul were playing a mini game of football.

Embry suddenly jumped up and ran to tackle Leah to the ground. Jake laughed as Leah leapt up and chased after him. I smiled, snuggling closer into his warmth.

"You cold?" Jake asked.

"No," I murmured.

He reached around and moved my hair away from my neck. I sighed softly, my head against his shoulder, as he began nibbling on my neck. His hands trailed up and down the exposed skin on my arm.

"Have I told you how proud I am of you?" Jake asked softly.

I shook my head, unable to form a coherent word. My breathing was irregular as his hand moved from my arm to my stomach.

"I am. You were amazing today. If not for you, our families might be planning funerals right now instead of celebrating," Jake claimed, biting down on my ear.

"I… um, wasn't going to, uh, let that happen," I stammered.

"I know," Jake admitted, kissing my shoulder.

"Bella! Stop macking on Jake and get your ass over here!" Leah shouted.

I jumped, my face turning bright red. Jake chuckled in my ear. Before I knew what was happening, he stood up, lifting me into his arms. He took off running towards the water.

"JACOB BLACK! DO NOT THROW ME IN THAT WATER!" I screamed, thrashing.

He, of course, ignored me and continued running. I screeched when he suddenly dived under the water, me cradled against his chest. He came up laughing as I gasped, pushing wet hair out of my face.

"Thought you might need some cooling off, Bells," Jake grinned.

"You… you… you…" I sputtered.

"Easy, there, honey. Wouldn't want to bruise my tender ego," Jake teased.

"ARG!" I shrieked, kicking at him.

Unfortunately, that landed me back in the water. Staying under, I used my feet to kick his legs out from under him and propel myself backwards. I came up in time to see Jake's body slam into the water. Turning quickly, I began swimming to shore.

Just as I was about to hit land, two arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me back. I screamed as Jake fell into the water, dragging me with him. He flipped me around under the water and pressed his lips to mine. I was smiling when he pushed us off the ocean floor and broke the surface. I laughed as he picked me up and swung me around.

"You are an evil little girl," Jake mock growled.

"Oh, I'm evil! What about you? You're the one who did it first!" I pointed out, still laughing.

"Yes, but I'm the younger of the two of us. You're supposed to set an example for me and help me mend my broken ways," Jake informed me.

I snorted before leaning back and splashing water in his face. I used his moment of shock to slip free and run to shore. I had barely made it to the fire before Jake tackled me into the sand.

"Jake! I'm getting sand in my hair," I whined, pushing against him.

"Too bad. You should of thought of that before you splashed me," Jake tisked.

"You totally deserved it!" I accused.

"I did no such thing," Jake denied.

"You got me all wet!" I shouted.

"Mmm. I like the sound of that," Jake purred seductively.

"You pervert," I glared, a grin ruining the effect.

"_Your _pervert, Bells. _Your_ pervert," Jake corrected.

I huffed and wiggled out from under him. He laughed, helping me to my feet.

"Bells? I think you might want to go back to Billy's and wash up. Your hair is looking a little blond," Charlie smiled.

"Ugh! Gross. This is going to take forever to get out," I complained, picking at a lock of sandy hair.

"Don't worry, honey. I'll help comb it all out after your shower," Jake promised.

I sighed softly, shaking my head at it all.

"Come on, Bells. Shower time!" Jake cheered, pulling me towards his house.

I smiled as I hurried along the worn out path towards a hot shower and a warm snuggle session with my hot boyfriend.

* * *

**Alright, guys. I know it's kinda shorter than the rest of the chapters, but that's because it's over! A lot of you really want an epilogue, so I will be writing one. I'm not sure how long it's going to be or how I'm going to write it, but it'll wrap everything together and give you all glimpses of the lives of the characters after the story. In any case, look for it soon!**

**A bunch of you have said you are going to follow me into my Jasper/Bella story and a few of you have made comments hoping I still do Jake/Bella pairings, sooooooo, I have good news! I will be writing a Jasper/Bella story AND another Jake/Bella story! I won't give details here. If you want to know more, look to my profile. I'll be posting info. there when I put up the epilogue.**

**I just want to say, you guys have been totally awesome and I've thoroughly loved writing this story for you all! I hope you all continue to find enjoyment out of my works!**

**See you all soon!**


	28. Epilogue: Always Family

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Epilogue

"Aunt Bella! Uncle Jake!"

I smiled at the little four year old running towards Jake and I, Sam and Emily close behind. Jake leaned down and scooped little Willie up, tossing him into the air before catching him. The both of them were laughing as Emily scolded Jake for tossing her child too high.

"Ah, Em, he's fine. He's laughing," Jake pointed out.

"You better not let Leah see you tossing him around like that. She'll kill you," I warned, wrapping my arms around his waist.

"Momma! Momma! I wanna go in the water!" Willie cried, tugging on Emily's arm.

"In a minute, Will. Don't you want to wait for Leah?" Emily asked tiredly.

"LE-LE!" Willie screamed, jumping up and down.

"The others are already down at the beach," Jake told Sam as we walked down the path.

We made it to the beach to see the rest of the pack around the bonfire. Jared and Kim were laughing with Embry and Laura, his imprint. Quil was chasing Claire into the water, splashing in the waves with her. Seth, Collin, and Brady were throwing a football around. Paul and Rachel were talking to Billy and Charlie. Harry, Sue, Old Quil, and Diana were clustered together around the fire.

"Claire!" Willie yelled, running towards Quil and Claire.

Claire, who was now seven, rolled her eyes at her four year old "cousin". Quil smiled down at her and whispered in her ear. Whatever he said made her giggle and she smiled when Willie stopped and splashed her.

"That boy has more energy in his pinky finger than I have in my entire body," Emily sighed.

"How is our little girl?" I asked, bending down to talk to her rounded stomach.

"She's being good today, thank God," Emily smiled.

"Just two more months," Sam grinned, kissing his wife on the cheek.

"I can't wait," Emily groaned.

"It'll be over before you know it," I assured her.

"I know, I know," Emily agreed.

"Come on, honey. Charlie's waving us over," Jake murmured, kissing my neck.

I looked over to see my dad standing up, motioning for us to come over. I took Jake's hand and led him over there.

"Bells. I've missed you," Charlie said, hugging me.

"Dad! I just saw you two days ago," I reminded him, laughing.

"It's not the same. Ever since you moved to La Push, I have to fend for myself," Charlie frowned.

I grinned, leaning up to kiss his cheek.

"I come by to clean the house every week. I always make sure you have food prepared that you can heat up. I do all your shopping. You hardly have to fend for yourself," I scoffed.

"Is it so bad I want you home and all to myself again?" Charlie asked.

"No," I sighed, shaking my head at him.

"Sorry, Charlie, but you know I can't live without her," Jake grinned, throwing his arm around my shoulders.

Charlie huffed and shook his head at us. I laughed as ducked out from under Jake's arm. Moving around, I bent over to hug Billy.

"Don't listen to your old man. He's just jealous I get to eat your cooking fresh," Billy assured me.

"I'm sure," I laughed.

"LE-LE!"

I turned to see Willie running towards Leah, dripping wet. Leah picked him up, laughing at him. She leaned down and blew a raspberry on his cheek. He shrieked and started struggling against her hold. I smiled at the obvious love and devotion in her eyes as she swung him around.

"So, son, have you heard from the Cullen's lately?" Billy asked, bringing my attention back to the people in front of me.

"They actually called just before we left to come here. Everyone's doing well. Edward and Julia finally got married in Spain. Alice planned the wedding, of course. They promised to send pictures as soon as they could," I answered for him.

"Are they planning on coming through any time soon?" Charlie asked.

"They said they'll try to come by for Christmas for a while. It's hard, though, with them not changing. They should be good on the reservation, though," Jake shrugged.

"Just as long as they keep their teeth to themselves," Paul teased.

"Shut up, Paul. You know they haven't bitten anyone since Emmett," I scolded lightly.

"It only takes one, Bells," Paul reminded me.

I rolled my eyes at him. Rachel reached up and smacked him in the back of the head.

"Hey! Babe! What was that for?" Paul cried.

"Stop it. You know they wouldn't hurt anyone," Rachel scolded.

"I know, but it's fun to rile Bella up," Paul pouted.

I smiled in thanks to Rachel who gave me a wink in response. Jake chuckled, wrapping an arm around my waist.

"Don't mess with my girl, man. All of 'em will gang up on you," Jake warned.

"That's right. Nobody messes with our Bella," Seth shouted from across the fire.

I felt the familiar blush tinge my face and turned into Jake's chest. He laughed, holding me close.

"Don't worry, honey. They all know whose girl you really are," Jake smirked.

"Yeah. Especially after all that screaming she does, right, Jake?" Collin teased.

I groaned, blushing harder. Jake growled, his chest practically vibrating.

"Nah, Collin. It's only when he decides he needs to mark her again. Let her know who her Alpha is," Embry called.

"You better all remember who _your _Alpha is. Just remember, I can make life pretty miserable for all of you," Jake threatened, glaring at those who talked.

"And I will help him!" I shouted.

"Ah, ah, ah, Jake. Don't go abusing those powers so soon. Sam just stepped down last month. It won't take much to bring him back," Jared tisked.

"Hey, leave me out of this one. I don't even phase anymore," Sam grinned, holding up his hands.

"You either, Jared, so what do you care?" Quil asked.

"Phasing or not, they're still pack," I reminded them.

"That's right. Listen to Bells. She knows what she's talking about," Jared nodded, pointing at me.

"Besides, the pack will be shrinking even more soon," I sighed, glancing over at Embry.

Jake noticed and squeezed me closer.

"I was waiting to tell them, Bells," Embry complained.

Laura leaned up and kissed under his chin, offering her support. I recognized the move as one I used often with Jake.

"Now is as good a time as any," I told him.

"Sorry, Jake-man," Embry mumbled, running his hand through his hair.

"No worries, Em. I know I'd be doing the same if Bella was human," Jake admitted, resting his chin on my shoulder.

I placed my hands over his wrapped around my waist. He shifted to kiss my neck, soothing the pain that came with the loss of another member of the pack. Instantly I felt my body relax.

Jake had more power over my body than anyone. The Alpha and imprint bond combined gave him even more power. It didn't matter how far apart we were, we were constantly conscious of each other. I knew exactly where he was without even connecting to his mind and he was the same with me. It was more than Sam and I ever could've had.

The imprint bond had helped when it came to bonding with him as the Alpha. When Sam stepped down, it had taken all of five minutes for me to bond with Jake. Those five minutes had been excruciating because I wasn't bonded to the pack anymore, but the pain had encouraged Jake to bond with me quickly. Compared to the five hours it had taken Sam and I, the five minutes was nothing.

"So, Jakey-boy, when are you going to make an honest woman out of our dear Omega, here?" Leah asked, walking over with Willie clinging to her hand.

Jake and I glanced at each other, smiling slightly.

"We have centuries and centuries to decide when to get married. Right now, we just want to enjoy each other," Jake said.

"We are planning on changing my name, though. I want to be Bella Black as soon as possible," I added.

"You're going to deprive your old man of the chance to walk you down the isle?" Charlie asked, slightly hurt.

"Well, we could do a ceremony after we change my name," I shrugged, looking at Jake.

"It would just be a small get together. Nothing too big. Just the pack and family," Jake agreed.

"Would that satisfy you, Dad?" I asked.

"Yes," Charlie grinned, folding his arms.

"You are a devious old man," Billy chuckled.

Charlie just continued grinning and shrugged off Billy's comment.

"So, what do you say, Bells? You wanna marry me?" Jake asked, grinning like a fool.

"I suppose I'll have to," I sighed forlornly.

"Oh, there's that enthusiasm I love!" Jake laughed.

* * *

The wedding took about a week to plan. We were going to get married on First Beach, Billy would preside over the ceremony.

Charlie was thrilled.

I found a little white dress that fell just above my knees. Leah and Emily helped me get ready, fixing my hair and make-up to look perfect. Jake was going to be wearing khaki shorts and a button down short sleeve shirt. Both of us would be barefoot. It was perfect.

When I walked down the aisle, Charlie at my side, my heart literally stopped. Jake was waiting at the end, smiling at me as if I was the only thing in the world. I understood the feeling. It was the exact same way I felt for him.

Because we had already gotten my name changed, this ceremony was just for show. Legally, we were already connected as much as we wanted to be. Spiritually, we had been connected for a long time. This was just a special touch for our families.

Billy spoke about the love that could only be shared between imprints, bringing tears to my eyes. And when Jake slipped the ring on my finger, I couldn't stop the tears from falling.

"You may kiss your bride," Billy announced.

Jake leaned in and placed a sweet kiss on my lips. We turned to face our family and friends as a married couple for the first time.

Looking out over the people, I could see our future together. We would get to watch Sam and Emily grow older, having more kids and grandchildren. We would be here for Embry and Laura at their wedding and for their children. Same for Quil and Claire. As the generations went by, we would be able to stay and watch the lives of our friends unfold. Leah, Willie, Seth, Collin, and Brady were the only ones who still might stay with us.

Leah and Willie would have the same choice Jake and I had. The four of us could live forever if we chose.

I wasn't sure what the future would hold, but as I hugged and cried tears of joy with my pack family, I knew we would always have the special bond that made us all family.

* * *

**We're finished. This was the last chapter of The Omega. I just want to say that it has been a real honor writing for all of you and I have appreciated all of the support you've given me. I'll never be able to thank you all enough.**

**Now, I will be posting information about the two new stories on my profile page tomorrow. Right now, it's twelve thirty and I am completely bushed. It's been a great ride, you guys. I look forward to hearing from some of you again!**

**See you soon!**


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